According to Derbyshire’s trading standards body, users streaming pirated content are likely to be exempt from copyright laws, even if the entertainment industry does consider it unlawful.
The authority also said that selling Kodi-loaded devices was OK too because Kodi is “a legitimate piece of software and the developers do not support its use for illegal purposes”; however, the trading standards body did say that selling it with add-ons that facilitate illegal streaming is an offence.
Obviously, the trading standards body is not advocating Kodi’s use for piracy. This can be seen with its somewhat confusing comment:
“Accessing premium paid-for content without a subscription is considered by the industry as unlawful access, although streaming something online, rather than downloading a file, is likely to be exempt from copyright laws.”
For the time being, end users can legally stream pirated content without facing repercussions in the UK. The government, however, is currently trying to tighten up the rules over streaming. It launched a consultation in February which is now in the very early stages.
The consultation, according to TorrentFreak, appears to show an effort to target consumers, rather than just sellers, under items such as “fraudulent reception of transmissions” and “obtaining services dishonestly.”
Source: TorrentFreak | Image via Indiewire
