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The so-called 'dodgy' Fire TV Sticks have become increasingly popular in recent years.
The TV gadgets give users full access to premium sports and movies for a fraction of what they'd pay to sign up for premium streaming platforms.
Now, that era is coming to an end.
Starting today, dodgy streaming apps that allow Amazon Fire TV Stick owners to watch premium television illegally will stop working.
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Amazon has launched a major global crackdown on Fire TV Stick piracy that will see illegal streaming apps blocked at a device-level.
These unofficial apps grant widespread access to premium content, including top Hollywood movies and newly released shows available on Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video.
Meanwhile, live sports that would usually require expensive subscriptions to services like Sky Sports and BT Sport are also available to stream.
“Piracy is illegal, and we’ve always worked to block it from our Appstore,” an Amazon spokesperson told The Sun. “Through an expanded program led by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), a global coalition fighting digital piracy, we’ll now block apps identified as providing access to pirated content, including those downloaded from outside our Appstore."
Explaining the company's reasoning, the spokesperson added: “This builds on our ongoing efforts to support creators and protect customers, as piracy can also expose users to malware, viruses, and fraud.”
That said, regular Amazon Fire TV Sticks used for legal television viewing, and legitimate apps like Netflix and Disney+, won't be affected by the changes.
Only apps identified as providing pirated content will be targeted by the new device-level blocking measures. That means they'll remain blocked even if TV pirates attempt to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to conceal their location and internet activity.
Early takedowns are expected in France and Germany, with the crackdown eventually affecting TV pirates in the UK and the US, as well as in other countries worldwide.
“While there will inevitably be some user backlash, streaming content illegally is against the law,” tech analyst at PP Foresight Paolo Pescatore explained.
“But there is a broader problem: consumers are forced to pay escalating subscription fees to watch content.”
However, Pescatore argued that technology alone won't solve the piracy problem.
“Broadcasters are spending more to secure live sports rights and passing these costs onto consumers who can’t afford them, leading to a messy, fragmented experience," he said. “The privacy problem can only be solved by a cohesive effort by everyone, from glass to glass, including telecom companies that own the pipe and block any potential illegal streams.”
