Friday, 22 December 2023

‘Boot Out Piracy’ campaign returns to remind
fans of risks of illegal streaming

Premier League players from clubs including Manchester United and Liverpool are spearheading the latest instalment of the League’s ‘Boot Out Piracy’ campaign, to raise awareness with Vietnamese fans of the risks and detrimental effects of steaming illegal content.

Launched today for the third season in Vietnam, this year’s campaign features Premier League stars including Casemiro (Manchester United), Diogo Jota (Liverpool), Julio Enciso (Brighton & Hove Albion), Abdoulaye Doucouré (Everton) and Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest).

In a series of videos which will appear across digital channels, the players highlight how those who access Premier League content through unofficial websites or streaming devices leave themselves vulnerable to the threat of cyber-attacks, including harmful malware and ransomware. This poses the danger of data theft and fraudulent activities, and also means they are likely to watch matches on unreliable and poor-quality streams.

Professor Paul Watters, a leading cybersecurity consultant and researcher, said: “There were record losses of more than $900 million in Vietnam as a result of malware attacks in 2022. Consumers should be aware that sites and apps which stream pirated content are one of the main sources of these attacks.

“While antivirus software can help consumers, it cannot keep up with the explosion in malware variants every day. The best cure is prevention – avoid those sites that host and distribute malware.”

The Premier League works closely with local authorities throughout Asia and across the world to bring criminal action against website operators and suppliers of illicit streaming devices.

This season’s Boot Out Piracy launch comes after Premier League representatives attended a workshop organised by the Copyright Office of Vietnam to discuss with key stakeholders how to further improve the site-blocking mechanisms to further disrupt sophisticated syndicates operating in Vietnam and raise consumer awareness over the dangers of piracy.

The workshop also touched on the organised crime groups operating behind the piracy syndicates located in Vietnam and the need for strong enforcement and deterrent criminal prosecutions to effectively combat this.

The League commends the work of the Vietnamese Government regulators in their continuing efforts in targeting sports piracy syndicates operating in territory. As well as disrupting illegal streams of Premier League and other content, they are also limiting access to unlicensed and unregulated gambling operations that pose unacceptable risks to consumers.

Premier League General Counsel Kevin Plumb said: “We know how passionate fans in Vietnam and across Asia are about Premier League football. Through the ‘Boot Out Piracy’ campaign, we continue to highlight the significant risks of watching matches through illegal streams.

“Those who do so not only miss out on the best possible viewing experience, they also face a range of cyber-security dangers. By accessing pirated content, people make themselves vulnerable to criminals, who use a wide range of methods to compromise the devices of viewers. This can lead to numerous issues, including fraud and identity theft.

“Our advice to Vietnamese football fans is to not put their online safety at risk and to watch Premier League football in the best possible quality through our official broadcast partner. As well as educating people on the dangers of illegal streaming, we are working harder than ever with local authorities to block pirate sites and streams and prosecute the sellers of illegal streaming devices.”

In Vietnam, the Premier League works in collaboration with local broadcast partner K+ on the ‘Boot Out Piracy’ campaign.

Sport Director of VSTV (K+), Mr. Pham Tuan Dat added: “K+ has not only been trying its best to collaborate with the English Premier League and competent government authorities to prevent copyright infringement, combat the risks associated with illicit sites causing harmful effects on families and society, we also prioritize continuously improving the quality of live broadcasts of the English Premier League matches.

K+ provides full live coverage of all 380 matches each season, including exclusive matches on K+’s television platforms. In addition, K+ has been investing in producing various professional and entertaining support programs, bringing Vietnamese football fans closer to the English Premier League matches, contributing to nurture a civil and safe football-watching habit. It is our understanding that when families and communities come together to enjoy ‘clean’ football, it is a continuation and transmission of the passion for the sport.”

The campaign will be featured across broadcast channels, social media, websites and YouTube in Vietnam, as well as Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Thailand.

The Premier League has one of the most comprehensive anti-piracy programmes in the world, working with broadcast partners and authorities to bring down illegal streams and investigate and prosecute suppliers of illegal streaming services. The Premier League is a member of the Asia Video Industry Association’s Coalition Against Piracy, the industry association for leading video content creators and distributors in Asia, which focuses on tackling the threat of piracy across Asia.

The Premier League works with and supports the anti-piracy efforts of our local broadcaster, K+ and the continuing efforts of Vietnamese regulators in blocking hundreds of website domains related to the illegal distribution of Premier League content.

The Premier League produces some of the most competitive and compelling football in the world. The League and its clubs use the power and popularity of the competition to inspire fans, communities, and partners in the UK and across the world. The Premier League brings people together from all backgrounds. It is a competition for everyone, everywhere and is available to watch in 880 million homes in 189 countries.