Massive piracy of premium TV and sport content has become a growing concern, with a new report from Enders Analysis pointing directly at major tech companies for enabling this illegal ecosystem. According to researchers Gareth Sutcliffe and Ollie Meir, platforms like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft are showing a lack of urgency and action, allowing piracy to grow on an industrial scale.

The report accuses these companies of demonstrating ambivalence and inertia, resulting in both financial losses for broadcasters and increased cybersecurity threats to viewers.

Tech giants under scrutiny

The report shines a harsh spotlight on Amazon's Fire Stick, calling it a piracy enabler. While the device is officially meant to stream legal content from platforms like Netflix and BBC iPlayer, it is widely used to access pirated live sports content—especially football.

Enders Analysis found that 59% of people in the UK who admitted to watching pirated content using a physical device used a Fire Stick product. This figure is based on data provided by Sky, one of the largest rights holders in global sports broadcasting.

Even though Amazon responded by saying it remains vigilant against piracy and works to prevent misuse of its products, the scale of the issue remains significant. The company acknowledged that piracy violates intellectual property rights, and said it had implemented changes to Fire devices to make piracy harder. Still, the evidence suggests the device continues to be used widely for illegal purposes.

Meanwhile, Meta, owner of Facebook, was cited for enabling the spread of ads promoting pirated streams. However, Meta has not responded to the allegations or offered any public commitment to improve oversight.

Financial and security implications

The broadcasting of live sports is a multi-billion dollar industry. In 2023, the global value of sports media rights crossed $60 billion, and this number continues to rise. As fans are asked to pay more for access to their favourite teams, the appeal of free but illegal streams grows.

Streaming piracy is not just an issue of lost revenue. The Enders report warns that users of illegal streams often unknowingly hand over their email addresses and credit card details, putting them at serious risk of malware, phishing, and identity theft.

Despite the obvious financial damage to media companies, users continue to turn to pirated services. Some viewers argue that the high cost of legal streaming packages is what pushes them towards illegal alternatives. With major matches spread across multiple streaming platforms, many fans say the only way to watch their team regularly is by using free illegal streams.

Executives at broadcasters like Sky and DAZN have been vocal about the growing threat. Nick Herm, Chief Operating Officer of Sky Group, said piracy is now a serious issue and called for faster, more coordinated action from both tech platforms and governments.

He pointed out that this is not just a content issue, but one that affects the entire creative industry, including jobs, innovation, and future investment.

Fire Stick and organised piracy

The Enders report lists multiple examples where modified Fire Stick devices were sold to the public with preloaded illegal streaming apps. In one notable case, a man from Liverpool was jailed for reconfiguring and selling Fire Sticks that streamed Premier League football. Another was given a two-year suspended sentence for similar offences, advertising the devices on platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp.

These examples illustrate how organised piracy networks are operating openly, often using the infrastructure and platforms created by large tech firms. Enders argues that tech companies must accept greater responsibility for how their tools are being misused.

The problem with Digital Rights Management

Another serious issue flagged in the report is the decline of Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems, specifically those developed by Microsoft (PlayReady) and Google (Widevine). These DRM systems are supposed to protect premium content from unauthorised use, but the researchers argue that these technologies are outdated and compromised.

According to Enders, the architecture of these DRM solutions has remained largely unchanged for two decades, allowing piracy groups to find loopholes and vulnerabilities. They describe the impact as seismic, as it allows for theft of high-quality content, including live HD streams of popular sports.

The researchers call for a complete overhaul of DRM technology, including its architecture, licensing, and support system. They also noted a lack of communication between tech companies and content owners, suggesting that piracy prevention is not being treated as a high priority.

In response, Google said it is actively working to counter piracy and respects copyright laws, though it did not directly address the criticisms of its DRM product. Microsoft did not comment at all.

The call for action

The Enders report concludes that the combination of weak enforcement, outdated DRM systems, and widespread availability of piracy tools like modified Fire Sticks has made it incredibly easy for users to access illegal content. It warns that unless major tech companies overhaul their approach, the problem will continue to spiral out of control.

The researchers urge governments, regulators, and platforms to work more closely to shut down piracy operations, improve technological safeguards, and better educate users about the risks involved.

There is also a call for more transparency from companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft about what steps they are taking to address piracy.

As it stands, premium sports and TV content providers are seeing a growing number of viewers watching their products without paying, while facing an uphill battle in trying to safeguard intellectual property.

If major players in the technology world continue to treat piracy as someone else's problem, the threat to legal broadcasters, content creators, and even consumer safety will only grow.

For now, the piracy of football matches, high-profile events, and expensive pay-per-view content continues at an industrial scale—and the tools enabling it are readily available in people’s homes.

The onus is now on big tech firms to take decisive action—or risk being seen as complicit in one of the most widespread and damaging forms of digital theft happening today.

The Upcoming IPOs in this week and coming weeks are Ganga Bath Fittings, Victory Electric Vehicles International, Wagons Learning.

The Current active IPO are 3B Films, N R Vandana Tex Industries, Scoda Tubes, Neptune Petrochemicals.

Start your Stock Market Journey and Apply in IPO by Opening Free Demat Account in Choice Broking FinX.

Join our Trading with CA Abhay Telegram Channel for regular Stock Market Trading and Investment Calls by CA Abhay Varn - SEBI Registered Research Analyst.