TorrentFreak Sky Wins Irish Court Order to Unmask 300+ Pirate IPTV Users via Revolut Bank

[[WOI] NewsBot]

Last August, we reported on the case of David Dunbar, a Wexford man who consented to a €480,000 damages judgment after Sky exposed his illegal IPTV operation.

The initially defiant IPTV operator had destroyed evidence and was fined €30,000 for contempt of court. This penalty followed Dunbar’s refusal to allow investigators to search his home, despite a High Court-sanctioned Anton Piller order.

While much of the internal service data was reportedly lost, the man’s Revolut account revealed that he received €118,992 from resellers over a period of three and a half years. During this time, subscribers also paid €72,414 and £9,256.

While Sky was pleased with the actions against the man who they describe as a “top level” pirate, the company was not done yet.

Revolut Must Unmask IPTV Pirates​

This week, the story moved to the next stage. On Wednesday, Ireland’s High Court granted Sky a Norwich Pharmacal order requiring Revolut Bank UAB to hand over the names, addresses, and banking details of 304 IPTV subscribers and 10 resellers connected to Dunbar’s service, “IPTV is Easy.”

The application was supported by Premier Sports, GAA+, LOITV, and Clubber TV, which shows that the affected content extends well beyond Sky’s own channels.

To obtain the identities of these IPTV resellers and subscribers, Sky initially approached Revolut directly. However, the bank said it could only disclose information following a court order, and on Wednesday Judge Brian Cregan granted one.

Sky’s barrister, Theo Donnelly, told the court that it expects to use the personal information to take legal action against the resellers and some of the end users of these pirate boxes.

For Sky, it would not be possible to take legal action against all 304 subscribers, he said. However, legal action against IPTV users is new in Ireland, which makes this a key change in tactics.

Deterrent Effect​

By unmasking the IPTV subscribers, Sky hopes to create a deterrent effect on the country’s estimated 400,000 pirate IPTV users, or “dodgy boxes,” as they are known in Ireland. At the same time, some of the resellers are arguably in more trouble.

In an affidavit, Sky investigator Damien Gilmore notes that there is information suggesting that at least five of the resellers continue to sell the IPTV services to this day. The company expects to take action against all these active resellers.

The timing is also no accident; with the Premier League season nearing its climax and major golf and Formula 1 events on the horizon, Gilmore said that Sky is anxious to take “decisive action” while interest in premium sport is at its peak.

Broadening IPTV Subscriber Crackdown​

For Ireland’s pirate IPTV users, this is the first time that they have come in the crosshairs of rightsholders. While only a few will face legal action, Sky hopes that the looming threat will have a deterrent effect.

On paper, Ireland’s Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000 allows fines of up to €127,000 and up to five years imprisonment for those who use illegal streaming services. However, it’s worth stressing that there is no jurisprudence for action against subscribers.

The Irish action appears to be part of a trend to hold IPTV subscribers accountable. Earlier this week, a French Public Prosecutor’s Office fined 19 IPTV subscribers between €300 and €400 after their identities were exposed through a reseller bust.

In Italy, the Guardia di Finanza identified thousands of subscribers following the dismantling of a pirate network, and rights holders subsequently sent civil damages demands on top of the criminal fines.

In Ireland, it appears that Sky can’t simply demand money without any oversight, as the judge’s order restricts use of the personal details to start legal proceedings against alleged infringers.

The August judgment had already pointed in this direction. Mr Justice Sanfey warned that anyone running similar operations should consider how vulnerable they are to discovery and exposure, “with potentially calamitous consequences.”

This week’s ruling suggests those consequences now extend to subscribers too.

From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

Continue reading...