The World Cup will kick off on Thursday with a match between the host nation, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. As with any TV spectacle, piracy will surely be rife. While many anti-piracy bodies will be trying to bring down live streams during the event, Sony has decided to put its anti-piracy efforts to work preemptively.
Sony has been working through Markscan, an Indian anti-piracy body, to send out preemptive warnings to piracy websites that will be streaming World Cup matches illegally. Sony claims TV, radio, mobile, and broadband broadcasting rights to the event in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
In a warning, Markscan says:
“[Our] Client will be showing the matches live and content related to FIFA 2018 in various languages across the following channels comprising of Sony Entertainment Network which are designated to the official broadcasters of FIFA 2018. … By way of the present caution notice issued to you, we caution you and your website, not to indulge in any broadcasting, rebroadcasting, making available for viewing and / or communicating to the public, the FIFA 2018 matches and any content associated thereof, without obtaining permission / authorization from our client.”
One of the recipients of the warning said, under the condition of anonymity, that the warning will not stop them from streaming and that they plan to stream the entire tournament.
Let us know in the comments whether you’re able to watch the World Cup legally in your country and whether the channel is free-to-air or whether it requires a subscription.
Source: TorrentFreak