Javier Tebas, president of LaLiga, is determined to put an end to illegal football broadcasts through IPTV lists, and with good reason. In Italy, they have already taken quite drastic measures and Tebas seems very interested in replicating that model in Spain. But, What does this mean for Internet users and providers?
Contextually, in Italy, the new anti-piracy law has put Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the role of watchdogs. Basically, they are required to monitor all traffic passing through their servers and block any content marked as pirated.
Despite great criticism and complaints from ISPs, Tebas has publicly applauded this Italian law, commenting that he wished it had it in Spain. “It is a reference for the industry and for Europe, which we have to develop to protect our intellectual property from the scourge of audiovisual fraud,” he recently commented at the Social Football Summit.
And it is worth adding that this regulation not only affects ISPs, but also VPN and DNS services, which must now block pirated content regardless of their location. Okay, but, What does this mean for Spain? Tebas’ idea is to apply a similar system in our country, it’s that simple. This would mean that Spanish ISPs would have to monitor their users’ traffic and report any suspicious activity.
Currently, if you compare Italy with Spain, this is how things are, as he tells us in an interview for Computer Today Benito Rodríguez Bouza, strategy advisor : “In Italy, AGCOM can issue blocks without the need for judicial supervision, which speeds up the response. In Spain, blocks usually require judicial intervention, slowing down the process. We all know the pace at which justice takes place in Spain.”
On the other hand, “Italy contemplates penalties of up to one year in prison for those who facilitate piracy. In Spain, the sanctions focus on financial fines, such as the claim for compensation from LaLiga,” he comments. Of course, there are big differences.
However, There are those who find worrying flaws in this type of actions. Giovanni Zorzoni, president of the Italian Association of Internet Providers (AIIP), harshly criticized the Italian law, calling it an irresponsible initiative that exclusively benefits the lobby of football.
Javier Tebas: “Italy has the best law on piracy, I wish it had it in Spain”
With all this, in Spain LaLiga has already begun to take measures. As already mentioned, LaLiga is sending letters to users who have accessed content without permission through IPTV, asking them for 450 euros in compensation.
These letters are based on a court order that allows LaLiga to request the IPs of users who use illegal decoders and, yes, it seems that this is just the beginning.
There is no doubt that the battle against IPTV is far from over. Although the measures taken by Italy and those potential initiatives proposed by Tebas could reduce piracy, it also raises major issues regarding privacy and digital rights. In the meantime, users should be very attentive to everything that happens.
Of course, Javier Tebas’s attempt to end free football could be the beginning of the end of what is to come and everyone will be involved: from Internet providers to end users. Only time will tell if these measures work or if they will simply create more problems.
For the expert, the potential solutions go the other way: “If you want people to stop using pirate platforms, it is not enough to close them. You have to give them something better. Give them something that pirates cannot copy, such as exclusive content, statistics on live or personalized interactions. On the other hand, “it’s not always the price, it’s how you feel about it. If you give free or discounted matches at key moments, you can attract those casual viewers and turn them into loyal subscribers.”
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Tags: Interviews, Television, Sports, Piracy, IPTV