4 million people are believed to use the devices
British authorities are said to be clamping down on the use of “dodgy” or “hacked” illegal firesticks by targeting 17 areas of the UK for a crackdown, revealed by Scottish newspaper The Daily Record.
It is believed that over 5 million people across the nation make use of the illegal services to stream TV shows, films, as well as live sport events like the Premier League and EFL.
Amazon have made a concerted effort to support the clamp down, by adapting newer models of firesticks to block apps linked to piracy.
Law enforcement agencies, anti-piracy groups and broadcasting companies continually work in collaboration to mitigate the impact of illegal firesticks, and this is set to continue.
As part of their report on the crackdown, the Daily Record also included a warning from a spokesperson for National Trading Standards, who said: “Accessing pirated content through illegal TV fire sticks undermines the UK’s entertainment industry, putting its talented workforce and supply chains at risk by depriving them of fair earnings and revenue. It also puts consumers at rise by exposing them to illegal software that can put their data and bank details in jeopardy.
“An important reminder to all those who buy and sell TV firesticks is that crime does not pay, it breaches copyright law and we encourage people to report suspected cases to the Citizens Advice consumer service.”
17 UK areas targeted in ‘dodgy’ Fire Stick crackdown
- London
- Kent
- Sussex
- Norfolk
- Northamptonshire
- Lincolnshire
- Derbyshire
- Staffordshire
- East and West Midlands
- Greater Manchester
- Cheshire
- Merseyside
- Northumbria
- North Yorkshire
- South Wales
- North East England
- North West England
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