A company director has pleaded guilty for promoting the sale of Long TV illegal streaming devices (ISDs) in Malaysia. The Android-based box has been widely available in the county for several years. It aggregates streaming video programming from around the world.
By violating Malaysia’s Copyright Law of 1987, the un-named director is subject to a fine of up to RM4,000 (about US$1,000) and imprisonment for up to ten years.
Read further coverage in Free Malaysia Today, The Sun Daily (Malaysia) and TechNave (Malaysia)
Why it matters
Visits to infringing sites in Malaysia were down by half in late 2020, compared with 2019, after the Malaysian government put strict site site blocking policies in place.
While Malaysian Entertainment and Media (E&M) industry cited the Long TV case as an example of progress against piracy in a recent media bulletin, multiple industry executives in Malaysia say that the financial penalties are insufficient.
Long TV appears to still be in business. At the time of this writing, the Long TV site was still active and its boxes available for purchase.
