Police will visit YOUR HOME in piracy crackdown to halt free Sky TV streams

Police officers are visiting the homes of those suspected of illegally streaming copyrighted material, including the Hollywood blockbusters, original dramas from Sky, and the latest Premier League fixtures. The latest crackdown, which is taking place at addresses across the UK, is the result of a joint operation between police and anti-piracy organisation FACT.

Officers have already visited homes in Essex, Hertfordshire, West Yorkshire and Pembrokeshire. Notices warning to immediately cease any illegal streaming activity are being handed to homeowners. In the past, broadband providers – including BT and Sky – have sent out similar notices in the mail. Internet suppliers are able to detect when customers are using their home broadband to illegally access copyrighted material, either using torrents, streaming sites, or set-top boxes like so-called Kodi and IPTV Boxes.

Kieron Sharp, Chief Executive of FACT said: “We employ a range of tactics to prevent the provision of illegal streaming. Our continuous activity targets different elements of the global piracy landscape, with consideration given to the scale of the offending to ensure effective and proportionate action is taken.”