A major change has been introduced on Amazon in a fresh blow to anyone who illegally streams major sporting events.
Sport fans have turned to IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) services to watch football and boxing, among other sports, as the cost of subscriptions soars in recent years.
IPTV, which typically has a monthly or yearly subscription, is often uploaded onto jailbroken Amazon Fire Sticks or so-called 'dodgy boxes' and includes various feeds to games, including 3pm Premier League fixtures which cannot be broadcast live in the UK.
Streamers have been warned of the consequences, with countless raids and arrests taking place by anti-piracy group Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT).
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But people are continuing to stream live sporting events without paying for legitimate subscriptions.
However, watching illegal content on Amazon Fire Sticks just got even more difficult, with VPNs not available on the device.
Earlier this month, the tech giants announced its new Fire TV Stick 4K Select, which operates on an in-house Amazon system named Vega.
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It means that users would no longer be able to download 'sideloading apps', which is when they manually download apps outside of the official store.
Anyone buying the latest model simply won't be able to use the apps that host the illegal streams.
In a second blow for illegal streamers, it has been announced the new Fire TV 4K Select will also not permit the use of VPNs, blocking users from hiding their identity and location in a bid to avoid detection from internet service providers while engaging in criminal activity.
The move is expected to be temporary as the function should be available with a software update soon, per a report.
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FACT has warned against the potential consequences of getting caught streaming content illegally.
"If you’re supplying or using illicit streaming devices or illegal IPTV subscriptions, take this as a clear warning: you are breaking the law and risk facing serious consequences," a statement read
"We will continue working with police to track down and shut down these illegal operations. The police across the UK have been unstinting in their efforts to tackle this criminality and we are grateful for their assistance."
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Kieron Sharp, Chairman of FACT, told LADbible Group in a statement: "FACT’s enforcement activities against illegal streaming are ongoing throughout the year. Together with our partners and the police, we constantly review new intelligence and target those areas of the UK and Ireland where the data shows that illegal streaming activity is taking place.
"Our investigations are thorough, and we are relentless in our determination to stop illegal streaming and bring offenders to justice. To avoid jeopardising operations that are in progress, we do not share details publicly until enforcement action has been completed."
Topics: Football
Nasir Jabbar