Amazon to Crack Down on Piracy Apps on Fire TV
Amazon has launched a concerted effort to combat piracy apps on its Fire TV devices, effective immediately. This initiative will focus on apps that offer illegal access to copyrighted content.
New Measures Against Piracy
Starting today, Fire TV users can expect significant changes regarding the use of certain applications. Amazon will implement a system that checks installed apps against a blacklist maintained by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE).
- ACE includes major media companies, such as:
- Apple TV+
- BBC Studios
- Canal+
- Comcast
- Fox
- HBO
- Hulu
- Netflix
- Paramount Global
- Sony Pictures
- The Walt Disney Company
- Amazon
Protecting Creators and Users
This new effort marks an expansion of Amazon’s ongoing strategy to eliminate piracy from its app store. The company emphasizes that this battle against piracy is crucial for protecting creators and customers alike. Piracy poses risks, including exposure to malware, viruses, and fraud.
Two-Stage Process for Blocking Apps
Amazon has established a two-stage process for blocking these unapproved apps. Initially, users will receive a notification about the ineligible applications. The duration for these notifications remains undecided.
Once the notification period ends, the apps will be blocked. Importantly, Amazon confirmed that users can still sideload applications from external sources, a feature valued by many developers.
Sideloading and Future Updates
While sideloading options remain intact on Fire TV devices featuring the new Vega OS, the company clarified that upgrading existing Fire TV devices from Fire OS to Vega OS is not planned.
Such piracy apps have been historically available on the market, often pre-installed on devices. This leads to unintended consequences for users, such as receiving legal warnings for content redistribution via Bittorrent.
With these measures, Amazon aims to create a safer viewing environment while nurturing creativity and originality in content creation.
