FACT, the copyright protection group, is teaming up with Crimestoppers to run a campaign that spans the length and breadth of Ireland by urging the public to report illegal streaming activity in their communities. Running for six weeks, it aims to uncover people or groups advertising or selling illegal streaming subscriptions, modified firesticks, or so-called ‘dodgy boxes’ on Facebook and Instagram.
Digital piracy is a criminal offense, and most of these activities are, in fact, organized crime. Information given anonymously about suspected digital piracy to Crimestoppers will be investigated by FACT and may lead to further action, including prosecution.
Those who take part in illegal streaming services or those who run ‘dodgy box’ schemes are dealt with very seriously. In August 2024, a man from Kildare, Ciaran Donovan, was sentenced to 16 months in jail for his involvement with King Kong Media, which sold illegal access codes to pay-per-view TV channels, including Sky Sports. The same month, on August 13th, two brothers, Amir Butt and Ammar Hussain, were jailed for a combined 11 years for an illegal streaming service.
This forms part of continued efforts put in place in combatting illegal streaming in Ireland, including movies, television, and live sporting events, while protecting consumers from related risks of illegal streaming: malware, identity theft, and financial loss.
Discussing the campaign, Kieron Sharp, chief executive of FACT, said: “This campaign is a really important step within our continued efforts to crack down on illegal streaming in Ireland. By working with Crimestoppers we’re encouraging communities to take action against digital piracy and safeguard themselves from its dangers.”
A Crimestoppers spokesperson said: “Using or providing illegal streams is dangerous for the consumer in terms of opening themselves up to scammers, and for those who profiteer, they can pay a heavy price of time behind bars.” They reiterated once more that “piracy—in its illicit streaming guise—is a crime. The threats to the family home are real for those who take the risk of using these criminal services”. We should all pay our way fairly. Speak up if you know anything about the criminals involved. You will be helping to protect people from putting themselves in danger.
