“The temptation to search for pirated content increases when times are tough. And times are tough. But that one illegal stream could lead to a whole host of unexpected problems,” says the UK’s Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) as it opened a new consumer awareness program in August.
Citing conclusions published in a Webroot report also released in August, “Illegal streaming isn’t a Robin Hood crime. Hackers, fraudsters and cybercriminals want to harvest your data for all sorts of reasons, but saving you money isn’t at the top of their list. Unfortunately…that free movie download or discounted stream of the big game could come at a cost. It could involve hacking your device. Or worse, using that device to access your bank and credit card details.
Why it matters
FACT says “Don’t be fooled, people who provide unauthorised TV content aren’t Robin Hood characters providing free TV access for nothing. They are criminals, often with links to significant criminal organisations and activity. In fact, the money they make from people accessing their content is used to fund those crimes. That’s why police forces across Europe are clamping down on piracy.
“With online streaming in high demand, law enforcement agencies are increasing their focus on dismantling pirate content networks, disabling illegal streams, sending offenders to jail and contacting people accessing illegal streams or downloads with the threat of prosecution.”
The FACT release is not lengthy and gets to the point. An August 2020 report by two French researchers says that some anti-piracy consumer initiatives miss the mark by using indirect language, too much information, and messages that don’t make an emotional connection.
