Despite the allure of ‘dodgy’ Fire TV Sticks offering access to premium services at a fraction of the cost, millions of UK households are being warned about the risks of streaming movies, TV and prime-time sporting events illegally. The crackdown on such activities is intensifying, with recent raids across the UK targeting suppliers of illegal services.
However, consumers are not immune to risk. Those who believe they can hide behind a Virtual Private Network (VPN) may be mistaken.
Not all VPNs offer the same level of protection and some may readily reveal your streaming habits. This warning comes from expert James Bore, who recently debunked the myth of VPN safety in an interview with Mirror Online.
“Some VPNs claim not to keep logs, which makes it harder to trace you,” explained Bore. “Others genuinely don’t keep logs. Even where they do keep logs, many will require a warrant to access those and other obstacles apply.”
Despite these protections, Bore emphasised that one should ‘never assume’ their security is perfect, reports the Express. VPN providers come in all shades of reliability, and it might be tough to tell the good from the bad without some expertise.
“Some will provide your activity logs if copyright-holders bring legal pressure or threats against them. Of course, some of the jailbroken devices that you can buy promise security, but you should always remember that the sellers do not care whether or not you are caught – only that you gave them money.”
There’s a high risk bound with these ‘dodgy’ devices for watching TV online. Not only is it severely illegal, but such services could infect your devices with malware or expose your family to improper content.
The allure of not paying premiums for sports, movies and other content might seem appealing, yet it can lead to dangerous online threats.
Commenting on the latest clampdown measures, Kieron Sharp, CEO of FACT declared: “Our cease-and-desist measures are not just warnings-they are the first step toward holding offenders accountable. Many who ignored these notices in the past are now facing arrest and criminal charges. We strongly advise anyone involved in these activities to stop immediately.”
He issued a stark warning to those supplying or using illicit streaming devices: “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.
“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.”
“To those using illegal streaming services, the message is that you’re not just committing a crime; you are putting yourself at risk. These services often expose users to malware, scams, and data theft, with no recourse when things go wrong. The safest, smartest and only choice is to stick to legitimate providers for your entertainment.”