The consumption of television content in Portugal has changed, with a significant increase in the use of illegal IPTV services that allow access to channels premiumlive sporting events and film and series catalogs for reduced prices. This phenomenon has been identified as a growing and sustained trend in the country.
According to , thousands of Portuguese people use these platforms, attracted by prices substantially lower than legal services, which has contributed to the expansion of this type of use in the domestic environment.
Growth and dimension of the phenomenon
According to the same source, the use of illegal IPTV has established itself as one of the main forms of illicit access to audiovisual content, involving a large number of users and a distribution network that often operates through technical systems that make detection difficult.
This growth has been accompanied by greater complexity in the forms of access, including the use of pre-configured equipment and applications of unverified origin.
Economic impact and losses to the State
The impacts of this activity are not limited to users, but also affect legal operators and rights holders, with direct economic consequences. According to the same source, the losses associated with the consumption of illegal IPTV in Portugal are estimated at more than 200 million euros annually, reflecting significant losses in the audiovisual sector.
A relevant part of these losses translates into uncollected tax revenue, with the State failing to receive between 70 and 80 million euros in VAT every year due to these practices. These estimates highlight the broad impact of the phenomenon, which extends beyond the private sector and affects public accounts.
Security and privacy risks
The same newspaper explains that the use of these services often involves the installation of software or devices whose origin is not verified, which can open the door to digital threats.
According to the same source, this type of access can expose users to malwareputting personal data at risk and, in some situations, allowing undue access to sensitive information stored on devices connected to the home network, such as bank accounts.
Legal consequences and investigation
The use of illegal IPTV does not eliminate legal responsibilities for users, and they may be identified in the context of criminal investigations related to copyright infringement and illegitimate access to protected content.
According to Jornal de Notícias, Paulo Santos, general director of FEVIP, stated that “the identification of subscribers in criminal investigations is perfectly viable”, stressing that the perception of anonymity does not necessarily correspond to reality.
Response from authorities
Note also that regulatory bodies receive complaints related to these cases, although in small numbers given the scale of the phenomenon.
The regulator forwards the cases to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, with the investigation being carried out by the judicial authorities and the Judiciary Police, which face difficulties associated with the use of mechanisms such as virtual private networks and other concealment tools.
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