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Illegal IPTV: being a customer means being an accomplice? A football league now sends hefty fines

La Liga, the governing body of Spanish football, has decided to adopt a direct approach: sending letters to Internet users accused of using pirated IPTV streams. According to the specialized site TorrentFreak, these letters include a request for payment of a fine of 261.65 euros. A sum intended to sanction individuals who watched matches through Ace Stream software, a program using peer-to-peer sharing (peer-to-peer, direct sharing between individuals via the internet) to distribute content.

Letters of intimidation and threats of fines: IPTV users are in the sights of the authorities

Not just viewing

This mode of operation implies that users do not just watch: they also share the streams with other Internet users. In other words, the user is no longer just a simple user, he becomes a sort of accomplice. For La Liga, this particularity transforms them into real links in an illegal distribution network. “La Liga obtained the data behind the IP addresses by claiming that users are not just passive consumers, but active distributors. explains attorney Javier Prenafeta to TorrentFreak.

An interpretation which marks a turning point in the fight against illegal IPTV, especially since the Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia had initially assured that spectators would not be worried.

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These sanctions from the Spanish league nevertheless raise questions among Internet users. Is it safe to pay the fine or is it better to contest? The lawyer warns: signing an acknowledgment of debt to La Liga could be interpreted as an admission of illegal activity, potentially reprehensible under the Spanish Penal Code. He therefore advises consulting a lawyer before any reaction.

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