Kodi Magazine 'Directs Readers To Pirate Content' (bbc.com)

An anonymous reader writes: A British magazine is directing readers to copyright-infringing software, the Federation Against Copyright Theft (Fact) has said. Kodi is a free, legal media player for computers -- but software add-ons can make it possible to download pirated content. The Complete Guide to Kodi magazine instructs readers on how to download such add-ons. Dennis Publishing has not yet responded to a BBC request for comment. The magazine is available at a number of retailers including WH Smith, Waterstones and Amazon. It was spotted on sale by cyber-security researcher Kevin Beaumont. It repeatedly warns readers of the dangers of accessing pirated content online, but one article lists a series of software packages alongside screenshots promoting "free TV", "popular albums" and "world sport". "Check before you stream and use them at your own risk," the guide says, before adding that readers should stay "on the right side of the law."

Comments

So do I,

[Anonymous Coward]

Torrentz2.eu

Oh, come on.

[Anonymous Coward]

Leave Kodi alone. It's bad enough Netflix and other legal streaming services won't develop an add-on for the media player, but now you attack a piece of software because add-on developers, (NOT CORE), made something which CAN stream pirated content?

Fuck off already.

Re: Oh, come on.

[muffen]

Seems like the complaint is towards the magazine and not Kodi itself.

Re: Oh, come on.

[Anonymous Coward]

FUD rarely has to be on target to be effective.

Re:Oh, come on.

[KiloByte]

And why those "security researchers" won't teach users about the dangers of DRM? That pirated content are harmless data-only files, while "legal" crap requires installing backdoor malware.

Re: Oh, come on.

[Anonymous Coward]

The funny thing is, Slashdot now directs Readers to a Magazine that directs Readers to Pirate Content. I had never heard of "The Complete Guide to Kodi" magazine until now.
msmash/manishs, have you no shame?

Re: Oh, come on.

[TuringTest]

one could genuinely ask why does a spreadsheet need such levels of scripting complexity

Why wouldn't it? Spreadsheets are functional business-oriented IDEs. Wouldn't you like that your IDE is scriptable?

Consider Windows

[John Allsup]

Microsoft Windows is a legal operating system you can run on your PC, but it is possible to install add-ons which permit the user to download pirated content. Indeed Microsoft Windows is the most popular platform amongst software and media pirates. In addition, Microsoft does essentially nothing to prevent its operating system being used for piracy.

Right side of the law

[thegarbz]

Is there anything illegal about streaming content? Pretty much every case I've seen has centred around uploading or making available (the downside of torrenting). On a purely download / streaming basis has anyone actually ever been found guilty of copyright infringement?

Re:Right side of the law

[Anonymous Coward]

It is now, in the UK.

The law was unclear until recently. The Digital Economy Act was passed in April. It's one of those grab-bag laws which ended up covering a wide manner of essentially unrelated matters because so many MPs saw it as a chance to tack on their own amendments - it's got provisions relating to internet pornography, bulk purchasing of event tickets, subtitling requirements, contracted workers and a lot of other stuff. Burried in among all that is the section which clarifies that streaming copyrighted infringing material is illegal, even if no permanent copy is created. It also allows a ten year prison term for those found guilty of facilitating streaming - but that doesn't apply to those who only watch the stream. It's intended specifically for people who supply the software.

Big deal detector set to max sensitivity

[Hognoxious]

Big deal detector set to max sensitivity. Reading nothing. Flatline.

Including all computer magazines

[tomxor]

seeing as computers have these addons called programs that can be used to pirate software... we know where this road goes, cars can be used by theives etc. FACT is a lie.

here is what will happen with digital content

[mapkinase]

Privacy is gone. Say goodbye to it. ISPs will officially track "every link you click, every move you make". So, at this point, it is time to make lemonade from lemons and delegate content payment distribution on ISPs: we pay a fixed ISP fee we are paying now, no more, ISP determines the content we are watching and distributes the correponding portion to content owners.

Whether you wanted or not, this is where it will be going.