Katarzyna Petru
Amazon is finally responding to growing criticism and is announcing global purges of pirate applications on Fire TV. The company has confirmed that it has begun blocking programs that allow viewing of illegal streams of sports, movies, and series — first in Germany and France, and soon in other countries.
End of leniency for apps outside the store
An Amazon representative admitted in an interview with The Athletic that until now the company has mainly focused on blocking pirated apps in the official store. The problem is that the real "grey area" has flourished outside of it — in the form of sideloaded apps, often factory-installed by companies selling "unlocked" Fire TVs with pirated streams.
Now Amazon is changing its strategy:
“We will be blocking apps that provide access to pirated content, including those downloaded outside of our store” — confirmed the spokesperson. The company emphasized that it is doing this for the protection of creators as well as the users themselves, who are exposed to viruses, malware, and fraud by such apps.
Fire TV as the main "piracy carrier"?
According to The Athletic, in the United Kingdom, over 30% of pirated content is viewed specifically through Fire TV. Additionally, there are devices ready for purchase that come preloaded with "magically working" apps that promise free streams of matches, movies, or new blockbusters. It’s no wonder that the Enders Analysis report labeled Fire TV as a "facilitator of piracy", which sparked a significant controversy around Amazon.
Amazon doesn't say everything — but the changes are already visible
For now, it's unclear exactly how Amazon will block the installation of unauthorized apps on current devices. But one thing is certain — future Fire TVs will be much more secure. This is all thanks to VegaOS, the new system that replaces Android. Amazon has confirmed that on devices with VegaOS it won't be possible to install any programs outside of the official store. So... the end of sideloading.
What does it mean for users?
Fire TV will no longer be the easiest platform for pirated streams.
“Jailbroken” devices may soon stop working as they have so far.
Amazon will start aggressively fighting against unofficial apps — and this will be global.
Changes are therefore inevitable. Fire TV is to no longer be the “golden gateway” to pirated games, but a fully controlled and (finally) safe ecosystem.
