Amazon has escalated its crackdown on illegal streaming via Fire TV Sticks, with users now encountering a warning message when attempting to install certain apps. The message states: 'This app has been blocked because it provides access to unlicensed content,' and directs users to Amazon's support pages.
The tech giant explained that Fire TV disables apps identified as using or providing access to unlicensed content to protect customers and content creators. It added that no exceptions can be made, as these measures safeguard against risks associated with unlicensed content.
According to AFTVnews, the update blocks the installation of cloned applications that previously circumvented streaming restrictions. Previously, users could modify blacklisted apps using cloning tools, but now banned apps cannot be installed at all, making it impossible to use such tools directly on Fire TV devices.
This development follows a police operation in which City of London Police arrested four individuals in connection with a large illegal TV streaming network. Equipment worth £750,000 was seized, and the operation is estimated to have generated around £3 million. The arrests, linked to a Sky report, involved a 40-year-old man from Blackpool, a 49-year-old man from Bolton, and two women aged 40 and 21 from Bolton.
