Amazon is rolling out tougher measures to curb illegal sports streaming on its Fire TV Stick devices, expanding a campaign to block apps identified as offering pirated content, according to a report from The New York Times.
The tech giant’s latest crackdown follows the release of a new episode of the NY Times-owned The Athletic FC Podcast, “The Underground World of Illegal Streaming,” which explores how modified Fire TV Sticks have become a key tool in the sports piracy ecosystem.
Amazon confirmed that it is now actively disabling apps linked to illegal streaming, even if they were downloaded outside the official Amazon Appstore. “Piracy is illegal and we’ve always worked to block it from our app store,” an Amazon spokesperson told The Athletic. “We’ll now block apps identified as providing access to pirated content, including those downloaded from outside our app store. This builds on our ongoing efforts to support creators and protect customers, as piracy can also expose users to malware, viruses, and fraud.”
Amazon says the crackdown will extend globally over the coming months, after initially launching in Germany and France. The company has also been working with the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) — an anti-piracy coalition led by the Motion Picture Association — to identify and remove malicious or illegal apps.
This latest move comes after Amazon unveiled its new Fire TV Stick 4K Select last month, calling it the “most affordable 4K streamer” at just $59 (currently on sale for $34.99 in an early Black Friday deal). The new model runs on Amazon’s Vega operating system and features enhanced security that restricts app installations to those available through the Appstore — a direct response to the rampant side-loading of third-party apps used for pirated content.
The affordability of Amazon’s Fire TV devices, combined with their frequent discounts and previously open software environment, has made them a popular entry point for accessing unauthorized streaming platforms. Many of these illicit apps are tied to subscription services that allow users to stream pirated content for as little as $50 per year while exposing them to malware or fraud.
By tightening control over app installations and expanding its partnership with anti-piracy groups, Amazon appears determined to protect its platform — and its customers — from the growing risks associated with illegal streaming.
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Not that there's a large proportion of FS users who install these apps. Look at how popular Roku is. For those who sail the seas, they'll be switching to Onn devices and for the hardcore, to exclusive Chinese IPTV boxes like EVPAD and UNBLOCK.
Not that there's a large proportion of FS users who install these apps. Look at how popular Roku is. For those who sail the seas, they'll be switching to Onn devices and for the hardcore, to exclusive Chinese IPTV boxes like EVPAD and UNBLOCK. Kodi will likely be banned too.