Italy plans to impose fines up to €5,000 for users of illegal IPTV streams. The new law requires VPN and DNS providers to report illegal activity, enforcing accountability. This measure follows the ineffective earlier law, with the Piracy Shield system allowing for rapid removal of pirate streams.
Italy is set to implement stricter laws against illegal IPTV streams, penalizing users with fines up to €5,000. The government aims to enhance existing legislation by compelling VPN and DNS providers to disclose the IP addresses of users accessing illegal content, thereby making it easier to trace and penalize offenders. While a prior system, known as the Piracy Shield, already permits authorities to extinguish illicit streams within 30 minutes of reporting, there have been no penalties since the law’s introduction. Legislative amendments have been pushed to hold VPN and DNS services accountable, with the threat of imprisonment for failing to report illegal activity. The Senate has approved these changes, signaling a significant move in fighting online piracy. Critics argue the measures may infringe on rights and lead to overreach in surveillance enforcement.
The issue of IPTV, or Internet Protocol Television, has been growing in Italy, where viewers increasingly resort to illegal streams for watching sports and shows without paying. In response, the Italian government has sought to tighten regulations to curb piracy, previously supported by a 2023 law. The Piracy Shield system was introduced as an urgent response to the widespread illegal streaming of sports events, particularly football, highlighting the need for more effective legal frameworks to address this issue. With no enforcement action taken yet under the current laws, the government is under pressure to act more decisively against offenders, leading to the new proposal involving substantial fines and penal actions against both users and service providers.
Italy’s proposed law signifies a crucial effort to combat illegal IPTV streaming, introducing hefty fines for users and accountability measures for VPN and DNS providers. By facilitating the tracking of illicit activity, the government aims to establish a stronger deterrent against online piracy. However, concerns about privacy rights and the broad surveillance implications remain controversial topics of discussion.
Original Source: www.ouest-france.fr
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