Slashdot Mirror


Facebook Bans the Sale of All Kodi Boxes (torrentfreak.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TorrentFreak: Facebook previously banned the sale of fully-loaded pirate streaming devices, as did Amazon and eBay, but the social network appears to have expanded this to all Kodi-powered hardware now. This is made clear in the prohibited content section of the company's commerce policies, as shown below. Facebook states that users are no longer allowed to promote "the sale or use of streaming devices with KODI installed." In addition, jailbroken or loaded devices are also banned from the platform. The issue was first noticed by CordCuttersNews which notes that sellers who violate the policy may have their Facebook accounts banned. Interestingly, Facebook will still permit the sale of "add-on equipment for KODI devices," including keyboards and remotes. However, selling any devices with the software itself is no longer allowed.

121 comments

  1. I guess they will ban VCRs next? by kalpol · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If they ban Kodi they'd better start banning Raspberry Pis, Mythboxes, HDHomerun tuners, and VCRs.

    --
    12:50 - press return.
    1. Re: I guess they will ban VCRs next? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Raspberry pi as a dangerous circumvention device.

      Will they ban pc-s? Then gcc?

    2. Re:I guess they will ban VCRs next? by PPH · · Score: 2

      And Windows, XBox, ....

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
    3. Re:I guess they will ban VCRs next? by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

      Don't remind them. I'm sure what you're talking about is on the 2025-2030 roadmap.

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
    4. Re:I guess they will ban VCRs next? by samwichse · · Score: 1

      LOL they should also be banning Amazon Fire sticks since you can easily put Kodi on them.

    5. Re:I guess they will ban VCRs next? by ark1 · · Score: 1

      Kodi as an open-source media platform is a threat to Facebook. Piracy is just an excuse to give it a boot. Competition is bad mmmmk?

    6. Re: I guess they will ban VCRs next? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, but they will make connecting to the internet require a TPM in your machine, secure boot and a signed software stack - and then require you to register and license your device... connecting it to you.

      Suck that nerds.

    7. Re:I guess they will ban VCRs next? by infolation · · Score: 1

      Kodi as an open-source media platform

      It's open-source, therefore it can be forked.

      And according to Kodi, forks must be re-branded.

      The XBMC Foundation requires that all forks of Kodi/XBMC must be rebranded, unless otherwise granted permission from the XBMC Foundation. In other words, they cannot be called Kodi or XBMC, and may not include the Kodi or XBMC logos, graphics, or other trademarks.

      So let Facebook ban Kodi. Then sit back and watch as they play whack-a-mole with the many compulsorily re-branded variations of the software.

    8. Re:I guess they will ban VCRs next? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      iDok FTW!

    9. Re: I guess they will ban VCRs next? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Very glib. but true. Laws and force are far more powerful than tech and ideas.
      It is time for the technically elite and savvy, both in IT and IP law, to say enough with DMCA, enough with 100 year copyright laws, and fix the damn corrupt system that brought us here.

    10. Re: I guess they will ban VCRs next? by l0n3s0m3phr34k · · Score: 2

      TPM and UEFI also have other, normal security uses too; such as preventing bootloaders, data-at-rest encryption, hashed credential encryption, etc. Per DoD secure technical implementation guides, one is not allowed to operate any domain-joined Win10 or Server 2016 systems without both TPM and UEFI enabled.

    11. Re: I guess they will ban VCRs next? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      TPM's are silicon snake oil for security. So is UEFI.

      And even if you accept they aren't... the TPM is hiding the keys from the owner of the machine.

      If you don't know the keys, then it's not about security

  2. Wonderful. by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 1

    So they just sell the hardware and an installation instruction.

    1. Re:Wonderful. by penix1 · · Score: 1

      From the list...

      Promoting the sale or use of streaming devices with KODI installed

      (emphasis added). So it is against this policy to even describe how to do it. What this will do is kill the developers who use FB most notably the build developers.

      --
      This is a sig. This is only a sig. Had this been an actual sig you would have been informed where to tune for more sigs.
    2. Re:Wonderful. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So it is against this policy to even describe how to do it.

      As written, no it is not. By virtue of the fact that the instructions are explaining how to install KODI, it is impossible to claim that they are promoting the use of a device that already has it installed. After all, if it is already installed, there is no need to look up how to install it. ;)

      Though I suppose that is a moot point since it is obvious what facebook wants and it would be trivial for facebook to change the wording.

  3. Need to go further! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    They should ban every device that can have Kodi installed!
    While they're at it, they need to ban any device that can be used to view child pornography!...including paper!

    1. Re:Need to go further! by Locke2005 · · Score: 2

      While we're at it, let's close the "analog hole" that is making defeat of copyright protection possible!

      --
      I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    2. Re:Need to go further! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Start the line of people on the left, I'll get the eye stabbing knitting needles ready, LETS DO THIS!

    3. Re:Need to go further! by ArchieBunker · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Why do you think they big companies are getting rid of headphone jacks? Perfect way to implement a DRM flag.

      --
      Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
    4. Re:Need to go further! by Harold+Halloway · · Score: 1

      We must ban children as well!!

    5. Re:Need to go further! by Powercntrl · · Score: 1

      Too bad your conspiracy theory has a dongle-sized hole in it. Not only that, music hasn't been sold with DRM in years.

      The real reason Apple ditched the headphone jack is they want to sell Bluetooth headphones. The reason everyone else ditched it is they're copying Apple (but perhaps overlooked the part about selling Bluetooth headphones).

      --

      ---
      DRM is like antifreeze, to the MPAA/RIAA it's sweet, to the consumers it's poison.
  4. Finally! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This looks like the most failsafe way to get Facebook to stop tracking you forever. Just try to sell a DVD with a copy of Kodi on it and voila! No more stupid Facebook!

    1. Re:Finally! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That was about the first thing I thought too.

  5. Great writeup by Kohath · · Score: 2

    One problem with it: What are KODI devices?

    1. Re:Great writeup by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They are devices for running KODI duh.

    2. Re:Great writeup by bobstreo · · Score: 1

      One problem with it: What are KODI devices?

      I'd answer by saying there are more different devices that can run kodi than can access bookface.

    3. Re:Great writeup by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 2

      One problem with it: What are KODI devices?

      The list is short, computers, tablets, phones, just about anything that can run windows, Android, Linux, IOS or OS X, with KODI installed. Windows Phones are OK to sell.

    4. Re:Great writeup by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Kodi (formerly known as XBMC) ...how unimpressed should I be.
      XBMC is an annoying interface.
      I would assume Kodi has made it better.

    5. Re:Great writeup by Trogre · · Score: 1

      XBox Media Centers.

      --
      "Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
    6. Re:Great writeup by bobbied · · Score: 1

      XBox Media Centers.

      Damm, I'm in trouble. I spent a couple of hours getting my Media Center Windows 7 machine working again after switching cable providers this weekend. I use old Xbox 360's as set top boxes and I get to watch TV anyplace in the house w/o paying the cable company for their set-top boxes at $12 each/month.

      Sarc off

      --
      "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
    7. Re:Great writeup by omnichad · · Score: 1

      It's worse.

    8. Re:Great writeup by Voyager529 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Here's the real-world answer:

      Many different streaming appliances - but most commonly Amazon Fire Sticks - can be jailbroken to load additional software onto them. Kodi is the most common of the programs that are added. The reason for this is not because of Kodi itself, but because the third party repositories that allow pirated movie streams and other similar media to be consumed with relative ease, and obviously without paying for it or even the annoyance of picking out which streaming app has what, and so forth.

      Less-tech-savvy folks tend to prefer these devices over traditional torrent downloads because ISPs have been stepping up on the *AA letters when public trackers are used. Unlike Plex or other DLNA servers they don't require a local server to be implemented, and the ability to buy a pre-configured device means that they don't even have to watch a Youtube tutorial to do it themselves.

      Despite the fact that Kodi has done everything short of disallowing third party add-ons and repo addresses to dissuade people from utilizing pirated streams, their OSS software has been heavily circulated in this way, and since "Kodi" is the most prominently branded part of the process, it became the means by which non-Slashdot people identify "watching still-in-theaters movies, at home, for free".

      And no, I don't own one...but at least five friends have asked me to jailbreak their Amazon Fire Sticks or Chromecasts for the purpose.

    9. Re:Great writeup by easyTree · · Score: 1

      How are stalkbook in a position to control the sale of anything?

    10. Re:Great writeup by demonlapin · · Score: 1

      Want to buy my Ceton InfiniTV 4-tuner card? Had it running on a Windows 7 MC machine until the thing became too unstable. Turns out it was the RAM, but by the time I'd figured that out, I'd already switched to TiVo for the WAF. It's just sitting there right now.

      It really was the best thing since ReplayTV went out of business. TiVo is OK, but it's not MC. Only downside I can see to your method is that an X360 is a lot louder than a TiVo Mini.

    11. Re:Great writeup by ArchieBunker · · Score: 1

      Cheap little boxes that run Android and plug into your TV. Nobody here will admit it but they are primarily used to stream pirated content.

      --
      Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
    12. Re:Great writeup by quenda · · Score: 1

      Cheap little boxes that run Android

      Why is it they are all sold running Android, when KODI works better under a more minimal Linux?

      It is very easy to install LibreElec on a supported KODI box, and get a number of advantages.

      https://libreelec.tv/

    13. Re:Great writeup by Powercntrl · · Score: 1

      Amazon Fire Sticks - can be jailbroken to load additional software onto them.

      It's called "sideloading" and it's an option in settings. This is changing the wallpaper on your phone level shit.

      --

      ---
      DRM is like antifreeze, to the MPAA/RIAA it's sweet, to the consumers it's poison.
    14. Re:Great writeup by fedos · · Score: 1

      They have an on-platform marketplace.

    15. Re:Great writeup by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is a few steps above that

    16. Re:Great writeup by fedos · · Score: 1

      Because the ones that are friendliest to Random Guy On The Street run Android.

    17. Re:Great writeup by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Agreed. There is no jail breaking going on here. In fact, when you install Kodi on a Amazonian Fire device it even shows up as just another app on the front end.

    18. Re:Great writeup by quenda · · Score: 1

      How is that any friendlier than one which boots straight into Kodi?

      Android has the advantage of Netflix, but it is low-res (SD) and made for a touchscreen interface.

  6. kodi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They have had this for a while. KODI is all but a dead product anyway. Its nothing more than The Kleenex of the streaming tools. They are not blocking firesticks with "option software". They are not blocking android steaming boxes, just if you mention keyword KODI.

  7. First they came for the 3D gun files... by SuperKendall · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...and you cheered; now reap your bitter reward of hate.

    Not that Facebook is required to do anything. But many Facebook users were rewarding them for censorship, so should not be anything but surprised when the reward for your support is increased censorship that will eventually encompass all content that is not Care Bears.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:First they came for the 3D gun files... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm A-OK with banning both of those items.

      I support law enforcement and believe in law and order. Apparently you do not. You should contemplate why that is.

      .

      You equate banning of 3D printing files with "supporting law and order" ?

      You are obviously both stupid and simple-minded and you couldn't use logic to fight your way out of a wet paper bag.

    2. Re:First they came for the 3D gun files... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      3D printing files of guns are against all concepts of law and order

      It's beyond dispute. Our country's (and many states') top law enforcement officers have said so and are strongly against the availability of these files.

      Ipso facto, it is against law and order.

    3. Re:First they came for the 3D gun files... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They didn't (and effective can't) ban printing 3D guns, it's about sharing the premade files that can be used to 3D print a gun. Police don't make laws, they enforce them. Congress makes laws, and they often do or try to do stupid and illegal shit with laws. The Judicial branch determines whether or not a law is Constitutional and as such determines what is "law and order".

    4. Re:First they came for the 3D gun files... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Still cheering.

      And if you use Facebook, you don’t deserve better.

    5. Re:First they came for the 3D gun files... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe it's because law and morality have become divorced due to the massive amounts of US lobbying by special interest groups effectively buying laws they design?

    6. Re:First they came for the 3D gun files... by squiggleslash · · Score: 1

      As someone who didn't comment one way or another on banning flimsy plastic single shot "guns", can we quit with the "If they do X to thing I don't like, then one day they might do X to something I do like!" takes because they're completely moronic.

      Facebook is perfectly capable of banning the use of its facilities to sell KODI boxes without banning 3D Plastic Guns. Its ban on 3D plastic guns is completely irrelevant.

      Moreover, the principle "We must never do X with bad things because it might be used with good things" is never going to be workable. "Let's ban stealing. We'll arrest people who steal, then put them on trial, and if found guilty jail them." "Uh yeah, but if we do that, then what stops the same power from banning feeding starving children, arresting people who feed starving children, putting them on trial, and then if found guilty jailing them? Hmmm? HMMM?"

      It's OK to try to stop things you consider bad. Really. It is.

      You're not advocating a great truth, or even sounding profound, in proposing it isn't.

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    7. Re:First they came for the 3D gun files... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's no one's fault but your own that you're a stupid little Nazi.

  8. What's Facebook? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What is this Facebook you speak of, and who cares?

    1. Re:What's Facebook? by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

      I deleted my account (after asking for all the data) earlier this year. A Facebook login is the ONLY method of posting comments to many web sites. so I have a lot more free time now!

      --
      I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  9. maybe they should ban comuters too by renegade600 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    computers, mobile devices, gaming consoles all can stream illegal material.

    come to think of it, lets ban facebook, people use it to share kiddy porn, share links to illegal material, also facebook illegally collect data from non-users who have no way to tell them to stop like the members do. they also share personal data collected...

    The reality is, kodi is legit device that streams legal content. If you decided to ban everything that can be used for illegal activity, then there will be nothing left but to twiddle our fingers - as long as that is what we are using our fingers for.

    1. Re:maybe they should ban comuters too by bmimatt · · Score: 1

      This.

      If you have points - consider modding this up, please.

    2. Re:maybe they should ban comuters too by Harold+Halloway · · Score: 1

      Yes, everyone should work from home.

  10. Facebook goes Maoist by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

    Censorship of double-plus ungood political viewpoints and now sales restrictions imposed by MAFIAA. Facebook, you're headed for obscurity now.

  11. This changes everything by scourfish · · Score: 4, Funny

    I know that when I want to purchase something, I don't think Amazon or Ebay or Craigslist. I think Facebook, the de-facto powerhouse of e-commerce. Who will take up the reigns in light of this gaping loss of places to buy streaming devices?

    1. Re:This changes everything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey, FB is wonderful for stolen goods.

    2. Re:This changes everything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A quote I read recently went something like this: If you want to change behaviour, change culture. FaceBook _is_ a powerhouse of culture.

    3. Re:This changes everything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Gawd! If FB is "culture", humanity is doomed! Garbage, yes; Culture, no.

    4. Re:This changes everything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Facebook marketplace is pretty tops. I don’t know percentages and probably it’s still below Craigslist, but it’s surely something substantial and getting larger.

    5. Re:This changes everything by coofercat · · Score: 1

      Dang - I've been getting this wrong too. For beheading videos, I've been going to ebay.

      Honestly, FB's 'standards' are somewhat baffling sometimes.

  12. Easily fixed. by Locke2005 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Rename the software to KODJ, and sale of hardware with it installed is allowed by Facebook, then? How often do we need to rename the software? (I work for a medical device manufacturer. Our project was just renamed. As near as I can tell, the only reason for renaming the project is that the FCC can only audit us on the project we are currently working on, not previous projects, so we periodically rename projects to minimize audit exposure. Nothing has changed in the project to warrant a name change!)

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    1. Re: Easily fixed. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey, That's a great idea! I work for a medical device manufacturer also, I'll pass that along to my manager.

    2. Re:Easily fixed. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sounds like you work for St. Jude Medical.

  13. Facebook by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You're an idiot if you're on Facebook.

  14. Good by bobbutts · · Score: 1

    Let it be a bit harder for the technically inept to pirate things. The masses bring too much negative attention to pirating services.

    1. Re:Good by dissy · · Score: 1

      Let it be a bit harder for the technically inept to pirate things. The masses bring too much negative attention to pirating services.

      Except kodi isn't a pirating service, it's a video player.
      Just like Windows Media Player or your Chrome Cast dongle.

      If you are the person instructing any of those players to play pirated content, that is 100% on your head for doing it, not the video player.

    2. Re:Good by ArchieBunker · · Score: 1

      Let's be real here. How many people buy kodi boxes to watch legal streams?

      --
      Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
    3. Re: Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Right, and BitTorrent is mostly just a way to distribute Linux.

    4. Re:Good by dissy · · Score: 1

      Let's be real here. How many people buy kodi boxes to watch legal streams?

      The same number of people that buy windows to run legal software. Or that buy an xbox/playstation to play legal games. Or that buy cable to watch legal pay per view. Or buy a chrome cast to watch purchased movies or free youtube videos.

      As one who has used kodi from when it was called xbox media center and actually ran on the xbox, I can honestly say I have never once watched an illegal stream, be it with kodi or any other video player or even a web browser.

      On the other hand I never have and never would buy something on facebook either, so I suppose it doesn't matter what their rules are as far as that goes.

      But if that's your justification, just you wait for the day you are labeled a criminal and a pirate for having windows media player installed, and see how many people jump to your defense.

    5. Re:Good by Mr.+Droopy+Drawers · · Score: 1

      I'm currently using 3 RPi's running OpenElec to stream movies via CIFS from one of them as master. Works great. I never looked at how to use them to connect to torrents (d/l speed is horrible with my ATT service). But, after reading this, maybe I need to go watch some tutorials.

      --

      To Copy from One is Plagiarism; To Copy from Many is Research.

    6. Re:Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well unsurprisingly if you keep torrent client default settings it'll eat all your network connection but even without advanced measures like QoS you can do much : lower number of peers, lower number of connections (drastically), limit upload speed to 80% or less you real measured upload speed. The latter is very important since torrent wasting 100% upload will not leave you bandwidth for acknowledgement packets when you browse the web and do regular downloads.

    7. Re:Good by Hamsterdan · · Score: 1

      I'd wager that a really high percentage of people who buy those devices do it to stream illegal contents (and *paying* for those subscriptions). And it really does give KODI a bad name.

      --
      I've got better things to do tonight than die.
    8. Re:Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd also suspect a decent number of them don't know they are buying access to pirated streams and such. I had a co-worker who was sold one of these boxes, they didn't know the streams were of questionable legality, they just wanted to watch TV from their hometown in Mexico. The advertising for them all just talks about FREE TV, FREE MOVIES.

  15. Facebook sells things? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What?

  16. Facebook is an eCommerce site? by BenJeremy · · Score: 1

    That's a new one. I never knew Facebook was like eBay and Amazon.

    They aren't doing a very good job marketing this capability.

    1. Re:Facebook is an eCommerce site? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      That's a new one. I never knew Facebook was like eBay and Amazon.

      It isn't. They don't get a percentage of sales, just ad impressions.

      They aren't doing a very good job marketing this capability.

      It's not very capable, either. Maybe they're waiting until it doesn't suck.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    2. Re:Facebook is an eCommerce site? by tehcyder · · Score: 1
      The advantage of facebook is that you can join local groups, so you can restrict your buying/selling to stuff you can actually collect from someone and view before you buy. This is a massive advantage over eBay for things like secondhand clothing.

      According to the missus.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    3. Re:Facebook is an eCommerce site? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      That's an advantage, but you get the same advantage from craigslist, which is a much less crap site than facebook. It's not perfect (for example, if titles are long then you can't see the button to hide postings on the thumbnail view) but it's much less annoying. I'm super-tired of things jumping around on the facebook page while I'm trying to click on them, resulting in all kinds of unwanted page loads... which is no doubt why they do it. I don't let the pages load long enough to load any ads which might make it past my various anti-ad tools, though, so the benefit seems minimal.

      There's a lot more stuff on CL, still. No doubt facebook will kill them eventually, though, and we'll all be poorer for it.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  17. I liked Facebook better... by GrahamJ · · Score: 2

    ...when it was just a way for Zuck to get off on yearbook photos. Can we go back to breastfeeding pix, pirating boxes and Putin pupeteering stupid Americans?

    1. Re:I liked Facebook better... by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 1

      ...when it was just a way for Zuck to get off on yearbook photos. Can we go back to breastfeeding pix, pirating boxes and Putin pupeteering stupid Americans?

      Why no, we can't.

      If FB can do the "oh no, OMG Putin, OMG, "fake news!"" stuff, they can do then this too. FB knows what's best, after all.

      "But they'll never re-educate me!! I'm a loyal party member!"

      Ah, that's not how this works, comrade ...

  18. This is news? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I didn't know anybody with a brain was still using TwoFaceBook.

    1. Re: This is news? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What is facebook?

  19. Facebook = dinosaur marching twoard exinction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why does any of this matter?
    Who uses Facebook anymore?
    Who would be impacted by ad buys on Facebook referencing Kodi?

    Anyone still using Facebook given everything that is known about this company is completely insane.

  20. Lamebook gets more lame by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There's no news here.

  21. Facebook is a store, now? by jtara · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I guess I missed something while I was never on Facebook...

    Facebook is a store now?

    Facebook has a merchant platform?

    Facebook is banning promotion of devices with Kodi pre-installed by users/company presences? (Or whatever they call them...)

    Did Trump just make Zuckerberg Secretary of Commerce?

    So, I guess it's a trend to ban pre-installation of open-source software, now?

    Sure, today is Kodi. Tomorrow it's cURL...

    1. Re:Facebook is a store, now? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sure, today is Kodi. Tomorrow it's cURL...

      No, tomorrow is anything that isn't Windows S, iOS, or a locked-down, unrootable Android device. Basically, anything that lets you pirate content.

    2. Re:Facebook is a store, now? by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      Yes, Yes, Yes, No, No, Unlikley.

      And you must really have missed it because we've talked about the Facebook marketplace a few times on Slashdot.

    3. Re:Facebook is a store, now? by fedos · · Score: 1

      Facebook has had a merchant platform for quite some time now. They have the right to decide what can and cannot be sold there, whether or not that decision makes any sense.

    4. Re:Facebook is a store, now? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Facebook has a merchant platform?

      Every web site these days has a merchant platform, it's the future! A few years from now we'll all be locking our front door with blockchain too, with your house and possessions backed up in the cloud.

  22. Ban Windows and Macs, too by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Facebook had better get on the ball and ban Windows, too, since people use Windows every day to pirate software and media.

    1. Re:Ban Windows and Macs, too by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They go after KODI because it competes with other streaming services, not because it's used for pirating stuff. It's a streaming service aggregator, which means other devices aren't being used. Pirating is just the excuse.

    2. Re: Ban Windows and Macs, too by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Neither of them are advertising the product as a device that can be used to view pirated videos. Also they donâ(TM)t brag about how may illegal websites the product can access.

      Yes. The way you promote your product makes a difference when it comes to the legal system.

  23. Getting banned is actually the reward mechanism by kazbah · · Score: 1

    Will they finally stop sending spam after banning me, too? Seems like an excellent reason to list KODI boxes on Facebook.

  24. The Slippery Slope in Action by Jarwulf · · Score: 3, Insightful

    First they said they'd never censor. Then its just for cp. Then its just for that and terrorism. Then its just for all that and neonazis. Then its only all the former and the altright which are just like neonazis trust us. then its just for all that and conspiracy theories, then 'fake and misleading news'. Now its copyright infringement... But trust them, they'll just censor this little thing and no more.

    1. Re:The Slippery Slope in Action by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Companies follow laws.

      Care more about your lawmakers passing draconian laws.

    2. Re:The Slippery Slope in Action by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Facebook follows laws"

      Ahahahahhahahhahahahhahaha. That's a good one!

    3. Re:The Slippery Slope in Action by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      First they said they'd never censor.

      [Citation required]

    4. Re:The Slippery Slope in Action by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Here you go, a fine source on that:

      [REDACTED]

  25. So now we call it KÜDI by thesjaakspoiler · · Score: 1

    and the FB universe was at peace again.

  26. I have this sudden urge to install Kodi by Snotnose · · Score: 1

    I've already cut the cable, replacing it with a Pi 3B+ with Plex via Roku. I need to google kodi to see how to get it running on my system.

  27. Why should I care? by AndyKron · · Score: 1

    Why should I care? Pretty soon the only things you'll be able to buy at Facebook/Amazon/eBay is toilet paper and razor blades. Wait. Forget the razor blades. The "mothers against cutters" got to them and razor blades are banned now too.

  28. FacebookTV by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They want you to load up on tonz of channelz to push mindless shit from big media, and retarded shit from your bible-bumper friends.

    I bet FacebooKKK is dying to wave the KKKonfederate flag around.

  29. That's funny... by Hallux-F-Sinister · · Score: 1

    I recently banned Facebook, so... yeah. Might have to get Kodi just to spite all these people.

    --
    Our reign has gone on long enough. Indeed. Summon the meteors.
  30. device without software by sad_ · · Score: 1

    then just sell the device without software.
    people are free to put any OS they want on it, there are multiple images available online.

    or

    sell it with a bare bones linux on it.
    oh, look, somebody made a script available that will install kodi on it.

    ofcourse i think what facebook did here is bellow anything.
    kodi is awesome, sure it is used to play pirated material, but facebook itself contains pirated material, maybe facebook should ban facebook from facebook.

    --
    On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.
  31. Won't Stop...Can't Stop by itguy01 · · Score: 1

    All this will do is cause people to get creative...(i.e. Sell the box without Kodi and e-mail the purchaser with instructions that include a download link to put Kodi on the device and countless other workarounds.) People will always find a way around a limitation, how much work someone is willing to put into it is another story but there is always a way. Not to mention, Facebook is not the only marketplace no matter how hard they are trying.

    --
    ~I bet you were looking down here for an awesome siggy like everyone else..sorry to disappoint~
  32. Anti-competitive by The1stImmortal · · Score: 1

    I'm pretty sure regulation agencies in many countries would have a problem with this. It's effectively a monopoly in one space enforcing a very specific ban on a product in another space via contractural means, something which Google and Microsoft, to name a few, have already been punished and regulated for. Complain about this to your local competition watchdog agency!

  33. and this is why i am leaving the industry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Im going into the trades because the general public who use on average 3 computing devices a day refuse to ever learn the basics about them. this is especiouly egregious when these things are regurgitated by journalists who say they perfrom a special role in society and should be trusted but then spew this crap:

    "but the social network appears to have expanded this to all Kodi-powered hardware now."

    KODI does not power any hardware! full stop! it is not an operating system, it is a piece of software that runs on multiple operating systems and hardware and is nothing more than a open ended media player. The issue that these corporations have with KODI is that a decent programmer can write an add-on that pulls media from 3rd party servers. The journalists are either lazy or incompetent and it doesn't really matter which one it is because when they complain that the world is going to shit it is our responsibility to point out to them that it is entirely their fault.

  34. Re: Suck that, TRUMP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    >From infowars own site?

    Of course. Until cloudflare and others ban that from the internet in general.

    But then there is always TOR for Alex Jones and the like, right? /s

  35. Poor Kodi by atrex · · Score: 1

    They've really gone an maligned a perfectly good piece of software. Kodi does not promote or enable piracy. They just happen to have a very extensible plug-in system that anyone can use to add components to and customize the app.

    Sadly, if Team Kodi wants to deal with this, the only way I see them being able to do it is by changing their plug-in system so that only signed plug-ins can be installed and run. That and lawsuits, lots of lawsuits. But those cost lots of money.

    1. Re:Poor Kodi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They can't really do that though, because it's open source. Someone else can just fork the code and release a version that doesn't require signed plugins.

      The problem for them is that they've set it up so that they're the only point of blame. They created the plug-in architecture, they made it open source, etc.

  36. I am pointing out a greater truth by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    It's OK to try to stop things you consider bad. Really. It is.

    It is. I am just saying that later on you will also be enabling stopping things you didn't consider bad.

    You don't consider these things tied but in all systems showing a path to stopping something makes it easier for other people to follow the same path for different subjects. This is the wisdom that I share, and that you cannot see - despite how plain and obvious this simple truth is.

    There is another buried truth you cannot see here, which is that as you said you should try to stop things you consider bad - and one of the things some consider bad is for people to make a workable path through company systems to ban things at all.

    Really it's OK to try and stop people from banking things. Really. It is.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:I am pointing out a greater truth by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is. I am just saying that later on you will also be enabling stopping things you didn't consider bad.

      Actually, no. You forgot, as most do, that your definition of "bad" may be radically different from that of the fellow next to you and subject to totally subjective criteria. Being "ok" with banning "bad things" is, by definition, being "ok" with banning absolutely anything that offends someone, somewhere for any reason whatsoever. Just so you know.

  37. Overreaction by Shirley+Marquez · · Score: 1

    Baby, meet bath water.

  38. Re: Suck that, TRUMP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Remember that the ones that want the ban are the Liberal artists. Demorats

  39. Sounds good in practice, even for a civilian... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...computer, until you start questioning who has access to the signing keys...

    All of a sudden this secure computing initiative looks less secure and more authoritarian. Plus of course it doesn't stop the Russians or Chinese, both of whom get access to the keys the same way the NSA does.