Crackdown on 'dodgy box' providers in Kilkenny underway

Enforcement measures have been taken against illegal IPTV providers in Kilkenny.

The action has been taken since February 28 and widespread action has included providers in Kilkenny.

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In a crackdown on illegal streaming, legal warnings have been sent to individuals 'involved in providing illegal access to premium TV content', including from Sky and the Premier League.

Cease-and-desist notices have issued and warned that those running the service face the prospect of criminal prosecutions if they continue to run the services.

The action has begun to have an effect with a number of illegal streaming services already taken down.

Providers in 12 counties - Kilkenny, Donegal, Mayo, Limerick, Meath, Offaly, Dublin, Wexford, Cork, Wicklow, Tipperary and Kildare – received legal notices.

So-called 'dodgy boxes' enable users to bypass paid-for measures set down by companies, given customers access to content they would otherwise have to pay a fee for.

It is anticipated that further disruption will ensue as a broader, targeted campaign is set to follow in an attempt to shut down organised piracy networks.

“Illegal IPTV service providers are a significant problem in Ireland,” Keiron Sharp, CEO of the Federaction Against Copyright Theft, said.

“This is criminal activity, and those involved are not concerned about the risks their streams pose to consumers.”

In research carried out last year by cyber security experts Webroot, it was found that of 50 illegal streaming sites analysed, every single one contained some form of malicious content – from sophisticated scams to extreme and explicit content.

Mr Sharp said: “FACT and its partners are determined to disrupt these criminal operations and protect consumers”.

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FACT says that accessing content this way also poses serious risks to consumers. Research carried out by Dynata in 2022 shows that almost half (49%) of respondents who illegally stream say they or someone they know has been a victim of scams, ID theft, fraud or data loss.

The focus of FACT is on providers, rather than users of such services.

The enforcement action in Ireland follows a similar campaign in the UK. Just last week, the City of London Police led a crackdown on illegal streaming networks, resulting in arrests in Scotland and London.