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Kodi crackdown will see millions of Champions League fans blocked from watching tonight
The Champions League round of 16 gets underway tonight, with a string of English clubs still competing for the trophy
A crackdown on top-set box Kodi will see millions of football fans who illegally attempt to live-stream matches blocked from viewing.
.
But to combat illegal viewers, UEFA has created a new block and is implementing it tonight.
It aims to stop matches being to beamed to TV Players, such as Kodi, without permission.
FC Basel v Man City and Juventus v Tottenham Hotspur, matches scheduled for 7.45pm kick-offs tonight, will be the first affected.
"The Uefa competitions are very popular with television viewers in the UK. This year's Champions League final attracted several million viewers," the court ruling warned.
"Uefa's evidence establishes that it owns the copyright in television broadcasts of all matches in the Uefa competitions, and in films (particularly replays), artistic works and musical works which are incorporated within those broadcasts."
"The rights are very valuable.
"BT currently pays approximately £360 million each season for these rights together with the rights in respect of the Uefa Super Cup."
Kodi app launched on XBOX One - how to use it and what you need to know
Detective Sergeant Kevin Ives, from the City of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), added: “Now that the Premier League and UEFA have both secured high court blocking orders allowing them to shut off illegal streams at source, it has made it more difficult for the public to find illegal streams of premium sport online.
“This is just one of many developments that have made it much more difficult for those who try to watch sport illegally online.
"Consumers are putting themselves at unnecessary risk of fraud by purchasing and using illegal streaming boxes, even more so if the content they try and watch is being effectively blocked.”
(Image: Daniel Law/PA Wire)
Thousands are turning to Kodi for their streaming of sport, TV and films.
The boxes have proved a huge hit with people desperate to watch PPV events, movies - and even the top football matches of the week, on the cheap.
But, worryingly for users, a trader is being hauled to court in a landmark case over their legality.
And many are wondering if the boxes will be legal for much longer.
It turns out there is confusion surrounding the legality of selling the devices, and it depends how they're used, GazetteLivereports.
Is Kodi legal now?
It’s a big grey area.
The confusion around the legality of the boxes is so great that it could take a court case involving Middlesbrough resident Brian Thompson to help settle it.
Mr Thompson is thought to be the first man brought to court to face allegations of selling pre-loaded Kodi or Android boxes.
The boxes themselves are, effectively, legal.
But realistically, the only reason you would ever want one is it if was bought either pre-loaded or altered in order to watch PPV content.
This content can range from Sky Sports to films currently in the cinema.
That, claims prosecutors, is illegal.
(Image: Martyn Landi/PA Wire)
The increased use of Kodi-style boxes are sparking a crackdown from a variety of organisations, the FA and TV bosses are keen to stamp it out as quick as possible.
The widespread emergence of Kodi - or certainly those who use it illegally - is now the top priority for rights-holders, it has emerged.
The boxes have proved a huge hit with people desperate to watch PPV events, movies - and even the top football matches of the week, on the cheap.
Many are selling "fully loaded" boxes, which come pre-packed with these additional apps and their popularity is causing concern for UK authorities.
The Kodi software itself is not illegal, nor is it illegal to sell devices with Kodi pre-installed on them.
However, many of these Kodi devices come pre-loaded with third party plug-ins and add-ons that allow users to stream pirated content to their TV.
Selling these "fully loaded" TV set-top devices is a breach of the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988.
Kodi has moved to assuage fears among its customers that the service will be blocking apps which lets them view material for free.
Kieron Sharp, FACT Chief Executive, told the Express: "You'll be aware of the Premier League case which has led to the blocking of streams by ISPs.
"With these in place what you'll find is the effectiveness of the add-ons within the boxes is being affected and there could be more in the way of blocks in the future.
"We also know the government is consulting on changes in the law around this type of activity.
"It's high up on their agenda and I think they realise this is an important issue.”
"I can see quite an escalation and a response from government that's going to compliment the measures that a lot of people across the industry are doing.
"There's a lot happening and the landscape will look quite a bit different over the next 12 months."
The Champions League round of 16 gets underway tonight, with a string of English clubs still competing for the trophy
A crackdown on top-set box Kodi will see millions of football fans who illegally attempt to live-stream matches blocked from viewing.
.
But to combat illegal viewers, UEFA has created a new block and is implementing it tonight.
It aims to stop matches being to beamed to TV Players, such as Kodi, without permission.
FC Basel v Man City and Juventus v Tottenham Hotspur, matches scheduled for 7.45pm kick-offs tonight, will be the first affected.
"The Uefa competitions are very popular with television viewers in the UK. This year's Champions League final attracted several million viewers," the court ruling warned.
"Uefa's evidence establishes that it owns the copyright in television broadcasts of all matches in the Uefa competitions, and in films (particularly replays), artistic works and musical works which are incorporated within those broadcasts."
"The rights are very valuable.
"BT currently pays approximately £360 million each season for these rights together with the rights in respect of the Uefa Super Cup."
Kodi app launched on XBOX One - how to use it and what you need to know
Detective Sergeant Kevin Ives, from the City of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), added: “Now that the Premier League and UEFA have both secured high court blocking orders allowing them to shut off illegal streams at source, it has made it more difficult for the public to find illegal streams of premium sport online.
“This is just one of many developments that have made it much more difficult for those who try to watch sport illegally online.
"Consumers are putting themselves at unnecessary risk of fraud by purchasing and using illegal streaming boxes, even more so if the content they try and watch is being effectively blocked.”
(Image: Daniel Law/PA Wire)
Thousands are turning to Kodi for their streaming of sport, TV and films.
The boxes have proved a huge hit with people desperate to watch PPV events, movies - and even the top football matches of the week, on the cheap.
But, worryingly for users, a trader is being hauled to court in a landmark case over their legality.
And many are wondering if the boxes will be legal for much longer.
It turns out there is confusion surrounding the legality of selling the devices, and it depends how they're used, GazetteLivereports.
Is Kodi legal now?
It’s a big grey area.
The confusion around the legality of the boxes is so great that it could take a court case involving Middlesbrough resident Brian Thompson to help settle it.
Mr Thompson is thought to be the first man brought to court to face allegations of selling pre-loaded Kodi or Android boxes.
The boxes themselves are, effectively, legal.
But realistically, the only reason you would ever want one is it if was bought either pre-loaded or altered in order to watch PPV content.
This content can range from Sky Sports to films currently in the cinema.
That, claims prosecutors, is illegal.
(Image: Martyn Landi/PA Wire)
The increased use of Kodi-style boxes are sparking a crackdown from a variety of organisations, the FA and TV bosses are keen to stamp it out as quick as possible.
The widespread emergence of Kodi - or certainly those who use it illegally - is now the top priority for rights-holders, it has emerged.
The boxes have proved a huge hit with people desperate to watch PPV events, movies - and even the top football matches of the week, on the cheap.
Many are selling "fully loaded" boxes, which come pre-packed with these additional apps and their popularity is causing concern for UK authorities.
The Kodi software itself is not illegal, nor is it illegal to sell devices with Kodi pre-installed on them.
However, many of these Kodi devices come pre-loaded with third party plug-ins and add-ons that allow users to stream pirated content to their TV.
Selling these "fully loaded" TV set-top devices is a breach of the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988.
Kodi has moved to assuage fears among its customers that the service will be blocking apps which lets them view material for free.
Kieron Sharp, FACT Chief Executive, told the Express: "You'll be aware of the Premier League case which has led to the blocking of streams by ISPs.
"With these in place what you'll find is the effectiveness of the add-ons within the boxes is being affected and there could be more in the way of blocks in the future.
"We also know the government is consulting on changes in the law around this type of activity.
"It's high up on their agenda and I think they realise this is an important issue.”
"I can see quite an escalation and a response from government that's going to compliment the measures that a lot of people across the industry are doing.
"There's a lot happening and the landscape will look quite a bit different over the next 12 months."
