An Italian-led operation has taken place, aimed at shutting down well over 5,000 live-streaming sites and services. Supported by the EU’s Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, the countries affected are Malta, Spain, Germany, Bulgaria, Greece, Lithuania, Slovenia, Sweden, Belgium, Romania, the Netherlands and France.
So, what happened?
Several hundred sites were searched, along with PayPal accounts being frozen and garnishee orders issued. For those with IPTVs at home or elsewhere, services were interrupted, although their providers assured them service would soon return to normal. Isn’t that a bit worrying, considering the practice is illegal?
The next step
Sentiment appears to be mixed among locals. Some are saying that since IPTV is illegal, then it should be banned outright, and users should not complain about having their service stopped. On the other hand, some are saying that local providers charge too much without giving back enough, which is why they resorted to illegal media.
One person commented that apps like Spotify and Netflix actually lower piracy rates. They offer a paid-for option that is actually better than what’s available for free, so people have no problem paying for it.
Have local providers upped their game recently, or do they still have work to do? Let us know in the comments!
