Content pirates circumvent legal copy protection and distribute material without the authorization or permission of the content owner. Those who upload these stolen copyrighted files risk civil or criminal prosecution. Such lawsuits can put an extreme financial burden on defendants, whether they are successful or not.

Streaming authorized content is legal. Peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing technology is legal. Jail breaking an Amazon Fire Stick is legal. Installing apps like Kodi or Plex is legal.

But be aware: Accessing pirated content via streaming, file sharing devices, or apps on jail broken devices is NOT legal. Owners and legal distributors of content that has been pirated may be legally able to obtain a history of download and upload activity from your Internet Service Provider in support of a copyright protection prosecution.

Additionally, pirate websites and apps are often full of malware which can put your equipment – and personal privacy – at great risk.

Interested in learning more?

Find out Five Tech Savvy Tips for Safe Streaming.

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