In April 2018. Australian courts have ruled that Australian service providers block access to subscription IPTV service APP HD Subs.
HD Subs is an ipTV Service provider that allowed subscribers to dowload and watch content through it's APP.
HD Subs provide ipTV channels to users including Russian, Italian, European, Indian channels, sky sports, etc.
The app itself isn't doing the streaming; it's an interface that allows the streaming to occur, Cook said. It enables access to live cable TV channels such as the BBC and on-demand content including TV series and movies, he claimed.
During a case-management hearing, Roadshow -- which leads a group of film studios including Disney, Universal, Warner Bros, Twentieth Century Fox, and Paramount -- extended its reach from alleged illegal torrenting and streaming websites to smart TV boxes, which it said are able to download copyright-infringing content.
Village Roadshow co-chief executive Graham Burke has won another battle in his war against piracy, with the Federal Court ordering Australia’s biggest telecommunications companies to block websites linked to a streaming app ripping off the latest films and television shows.
The judgment, ruled the telcos should block access to 16 online sites related to HD Subs, an app that can be downloaded and installed on some smart TV boxes and devices.
Paid subscribers would then able to stream cheap TV and video content from a swathe of BBC channels, Disney, Fox HD, sports, and latest films such as Lion and Mad Max. Some smart boxes came with the app installed.
But the provider of the app was actually engaging in piracy and infringing on the copyright of several production companies, including Village Roadshow, which led the court action, along with Disney, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros.
As a result, Optus, Telstra, Vocus, TPG and a raft of the telcos’ subsidiaries must now block the sites.
Justice John Nicholas’ judgment said there were indications “the movie content and the TV channel content has been streamed without the consent of the copyright owners ” and described the infringement as “flagrant and demonstrates a disregard by [service operators] for the rights of copyright owners” .
Mr Burke, a film industry veteran , said Australians who chose to pay for the service will now find no content through the app.
‘‘ These vampires have sold these boxes to a whole lot of people who know they’re buying something that’s wrong,’’ Mr Burke said.
“We’ve now dealt with the most egregious [of the pirate streaming apps] ... it’s a continuing game of whack-a-mole and the winds of change have finally arrived in the direction of the good guys.’’