Popular Kodi add-on returns but is probably best avoided

[grimm]

TV Addons, one of the most popular sources for Kodi users to access content, has been revived after suddenly closing down in June.

However, despite its revival TV Addons is probably best avoided at all costs.

According to a report by Torrent Freak, TV Addons and another popular Kodi add on, Navi X, are now in the hands of a Canadian law firm called DrapeauLex, which is based in Montreal.

The concern is that the firm could be monitoring the add ons and reporting the details of people who are using them.

The domains affected include TVAddons.ag, Navixtreme.com, Offshoregit.com and XBMCHUB.co.

While in all honesty it is unlikely that Kodi users will ever become the subject legal action, at the very least, if you care about your online privacy, the addons mentioned above are probably best avoided.

Last month, Nathan Betzen, a project manager for Kodi, warned about the risks of using an illegal add on, especially if you have no idea who is in control of the repository.

“These are unsandboxed Python addons. The person [in control of]the repo could do whatever they wanted,” Mr Betzen said.

“If some malware author wanted, he could easily install a watcher that reports back the user’s IP address and everything they were doing in Kodi. If the law firm is actually an anti-piracy group, that seems like the likeliest thing I can think of.”

DrapeauLex so far hasn’t commented on why it has taken control of the domains, nor what it plans to do with them.

Mr Betzen previously claimed that law firm is working on behalf of an anti piracy group, which could mean it has obtained the domains to ensure they stay offline.

Another theory is that the domains could be sold off to a legitimate broadcaster who may try to convert users to into legit paying customers.

Torrent Freak also reports that the operators of the add ons are now in a legal battle with a group of Canadian telecoms companies.

The legal documents for the case name Adam Lackman, the operator of TVAddons, as the defendant.

The legal documents claim that Lackman breached copyright laws by operating a number of addons including 1Channel, Exodus, Phoenix and Sports Devil.

The documents claim the addons resulted in the illegal broadcast of popular shows such as Game of Thrones and Prison Break and that as many of 40 million people around the world used the add ons to watch content illegally.

“Approximately 40 million unique users located around the world are actively using infringing add-ons hosted by TVAddons every month, and approximately 900,000 Canadian households use add-ons to access television content,” the documents read.

“The amount of users of add-ons hosted TVAddons is constantly increasing.”