The counter-offensive of the Guardia di Finanza against IPTV and pezzotto moves to a higher level, never reached before in our country. For the first time in Italy, in fact, "subscribers" to IPTV systems were also reported who, upon payment of a paltry sum, were able to access the entire programming of Mediaset, Sky and also services such as Netflix and DAZN.
THE 223 users are held responsible for purchasing pirated subscriptions on the internet and copyright infringement. The operation, destined to act as a forerunner in the fight against piracy, puts an important stake in contrasting the "piece": subscribers are no longer untouchable and risk penalties, especially economic, very severe. In the past, investigators had focused almost exclusively on the managers of the complex networks that lead to the transmission of signals, but now it will no longer be so.
223 people reported, but the number could rise
The operation, still in progress, aims to identify other parties involved, which is why it cannot be ruled out that the number of suspects will increase in the coming days.
The 223 people reported to the Judicial Authority face a fine of up to 25,000 Euros (to which legal fees could be added) and up to eight years in prison.
Indeed, the receiving stolen goods, and in fact the copyright law also provides for the confiscation of televisions, smartphones, tablets and in general all the tools used for the use of the illegal service.
Copyright infringement has also been the key to punishing offenders in the past. Magistrates could appeal against article 171 of the 1941 regulation, which provides for fines from 2500 to 25882 Euros, but given the nature of the system, the contestation of the crime of computer fraud.
The Guardia di Finanza has already pointed out that the investigations also target locate the signal transmission center, as well as the numerous "resellers" who deal with the sale of the packages to hundreds of customers scattered throughout the Peninsula.
It is a real chain, which leads users to "share your personal data with real criminal realities, including personal and bank data, thus leaving a trace of the illegal activities carried out and at the same time exposing yourself to risks, including IT, of various types", as underlined by Finance.
The alarm of FAPAV: IPTV in frightening growth
Central, in the success of the operation, the contribution of the Federation for the Protection of Audiovisual and Multimedia Content, which welcomed the 223 complaints.
The studies conducted by the association, however, have shown a "dreadful growth of illegal IPTV". In just one year, there has been an increase of over one million subscriptions to IPTV services, which as highlighted by FAPAV "they feed a parallel, illegal market that impairs investments and resources in the audiovisual, cinematographic and sports sector".
It is in fact undeniable that most users choose to rely on these illegal methods for viewing matches and in general sporting events, and it is no coincidence that the Serie A League was among the main stakeholders and moved a few months ago to raise public awareness.
For this reason, the president of FAPAV called for the continuous "these types of actions, which are decisive and must continue"According to the Federation, piracy is still too underestimated today, the impact of which has repercussions on a wider system.
The feeling, however, is that we are only at the tip of the iceberg. The network of sites on which you can buy the piece is in fact almost infinite, and in recent times it has also moved to instant messaging platforms such as Whatsapp or Telegram, where channels where you can purchase continue to appear.
The situation is more difficult than you might think, and as explained by the Serie A and the managing director De Siervo, the intervention of the telcos will also be necessary, which will have to promptly obscure the websites and block access to these systems, collaborating with the law and the authorities in charge to quickly detect any type of fraudulent behavior.
