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The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has released guidance on illicit streaming devices (ISDs), outlining various reasons why they are unsafe.
It comes on the back of a report by the Federation Against Copyright Theft and charity Electrical Safety First which showed that 100% of ICDs that were tested in the UK failed to meet electrical safety regulations.
The IPO said ICDs allow children to access adult content through a lack of parental control and also pose a fire risk.
“The creative industry in the UK is a very important sector,” the guide said. “It provides employment for more than 1.9 million people and contributes £84.1 billion to our economy.”
It added: “Using illicit streaming devices is illegal. If you are not paying for this content you are depriving industry of the revenue it needs to fund the next generation of TV programmes, films and sporting events we all enjoy.”
As well as encouraging people to call the authorities if they expect someone to be selling ICDs, the guidance stated that ICDs “can be used legally by removing the software”.
UK government, streaming, ICD, Kodi, software, UKIPO
