Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks, known for convenient access to premium entertainment like movies and sports at a lower cost than traditional subscriptions, are facing a crackdown on unauthorized streaming. The days of using these devices to illegally access channels such as Sky Sports seem to be numbered.
In a recent move, Amazon has declared a significant crackdown on “dodgy” Fire TV Sticks, planning to block unofficial apps that facilitate access to pirated content.
An Amazon spokesperson, speaking to Mirror Online, stated: “Piracy is illegal, and we’ve always taken steps to prevent it in our Appstore. We will now block apps identified by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) as enabling access to pirated content, even those sideloaded from outside our Appstore.”
Though the full enforcement is pending, customers are already receiving warning messages on their screens.
As per AFTVnews reports, launching a suspicious app triggers an on-screen alert indicating that the app has been flagged for enabling access to unlicensed content. The alert message instructs:
“Warning. One or more apps on your device have been identified as using or providing access to unlicensed content, including this app, and will be disabled. To remove this app now, select ‘Uninstall’.”
Even though users can still proceed to open the app, the warning alerts that Amazon has detected the unauthorized activity, hinting at a potential complete ban in the near future.
Amazon has not specified the timeline for the full block, but the rollout will commence in Europe, affecting UK devices later on.
While this crackdown aims to curb illegal streaming, it does not address the root cause – escalating subscription costs. Media analyst Paolo Pescatore, in an interview with Mirror Online, praised the move as “long overdue” and a “step in the right direction,” cautioning that consumers are burdened by rising fees.
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