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| Premier League gets Kodi piracy court order | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Premier League has secured a court order to help tackle rights-infringing video streams of football matches via so-called Kodi set-top boxes. | The Premier League has secured a court order to help tackle rights-infringing video streams of football matches via so-called Kodi set-top boxes. |
| The order gives the league the means to have computer servers used to power the streams blocked. | The order gives the league the means to have computer servers used to power the streams blocked. |
| Until now, it could only go after individual video streams which were relatively easy to re-establish at different links. | Until now, it could only go after individual video streams which were relatively easy to re-establish at different links. |
| A spokesman said it could now target pirates in a "precise manner". | A spokesman said it could now target pirates in a "precise manner". |
| "For the first time this will enable the Premier League to disrupt and prevent the illegal streaming of our matches via IPTV, so-called Kodi, boxes," he added. | "For the first time this will enable the Premier League to disrupt and prevent the illegal streaming of our matches via IPTV, so-called Kodi, boxes," he added. |
| Football fans are urged instead to get a Sky Sports or BT Sport subscription, or watch games at a venue that pays for access. | Football fans are urged instead to get a Sky Sports or BT Sport subscription, or watch games at a venue that pays for access. |
| 'Pirating epidemic' | 'Pirating epidemic' |
| The Federation Against Copyright Theft (Fact) declared that the use of Kodi software to watch pirated streams was becoming an "epidemic" last September. | The Federation Against Copyright Theft (Fact) declared that the use of Kodi software to watch pirated streams was becoming an "epidemic" last September. |
| Since then, there have been several arrests of people selling set-top boxes pre-installed with both Kodi software and additional third-party add-ons that make it possible to watch copyright-infringing film and TV streams. | Since then, there have been several arrests of people selling set-top boxes pre-installed with both Kodi software and additional third-party add-ons that make it possible to watch copyright-infringing film and TV streams. |
| According to a recent survey commissioned by the security firm Irdeto, Kodi boxes are particularly prevalent in the UK. | According to a recent survey commissioned by the security firm Irdeto, Kodi boxes are particularly prevalent in the UK. |
| It reported that 11% of Brits that admitted to watching pirated streams in a survey said they did so via a Kodi box. | It reported that 11% of Brits that admitted to watching pirated streams in a survey said they did so via a Kodi box. |
| Doing so is not thought to be illegal. | Doing so is not thought to be illegal. |
| "Accessing premium paid-for content without a subscription is considered by the industry as unlawful access, although streaming something online, rather than downloading a file, is likely to be exempt from copyright laws," Derbyshire County Council trading standards officers recently said. | "Accessing premium paid-for content without a subscription is considered by the industry as unlawful access, although streaming something online, rather than downloading a file, is likely to be exempt from copyright laws," Derbyshire County Council trading standards officers recently said. |
| What are Kodi boxes? | What are Kodi boxes? |
| Kodi is free software, built by volunteers, that is designed to bring videos, music, games and photographs together in one easy-to-use application. | Kodi is free software, built by volunteers, that is designed to bring videos, music, games and photographs together in one easy-to-use application. |
| Some shops sell set-top boxes and TV sticks known as Kodi boxes, preloaded with the software. | Some shops sell set-top boxes and TV sticks known as Kodi boxes, preloaded with the software. |
| The developers behind Kodi say their software does not contain any content of its own and is designed to play legally owned media or content "freely available" on the internet. | The developers behind Kodi say their software does not contain any content of its own and is designed to play legally owned media or content "freely available" on the internet. |
| However, the software can be modified with third-party add-ons that provide access to pirated copies of films and TV series, or provide free access to subscription television channels. | However, the software can be modified with third-party add-ons that provide access to pirated copies of films and TV series, or provide free access to subscription television channels. |
| "Streaming boxes have steadily increased in popularity in recent years," said Ernesto van der Sar, from the news site Torrentfreak. | "Streaming boxes have steadily increased in popularity in recent years," said Ernesto van der Sar, from the news site Torrentfreak. |
| "Most use the entirely legal Kodi software, but some are augmented with illegal third-party add-ons. | "Most use the entirely legal Kodi software, but some are augmented with illegal third-party add-ons. |
| "Nowadays people often prefer to stream pirated content instead of using traditional torrent sites." | "Nowadays people often prefer to stream pirated content instead of using traditional torrent sites." |