Popular add-on service calls for fans’ help after major piracy blow

[Len]

KODI fans are being called on for help by a hugely popular add-on service that has suffered a major setback.

Kodi add-on users are being called upon after popular repository TVAddons was dealt a big blow.

Last month, a court reversed a decision that had gone in favour of TVAddons after the Kodi add-on repository was targeted by copyright holders.

And now TVAddons has started an online fundraising page asking supporters to help them fight their ongoing legal battle.

In the aftermath of the decision, TVAddons published a post on their website saying they “really need everyone to donate”.

In the article, TVAddons said: “According to Canadian law ‘a person does not authorise infringement by authorising the mere use of equipment [such as services and technologies that have a dual use (one which is infringing and one which is not, i.e. photocopier) that could be used to infringe copyright.’

“Kodi add-ons should fall under this exemption, since they do not control the content sources they scrape.

“And as we said before, a user generated platform should not be held liable for the actions of individual users.”

And in a direct appeal to users, TVAddons said: “Unless we continue the fight, there will be nothing stopping big Canadian corporations from taking the same kind of draconian action against other disruptive Canadian technologies in the future.

“We won’t be able to get out of this without your support, please give generously.”

The legal battle TVAddons is currently embroiled in with copyright holders dates back to last June.

At the time, TVAddons went offline with its website and Facebook page shut down following a copyright complaint from Canada’s largest telecoms companies.

At a hearing a few weeks later, however, this decision was vacated.

Justice B. Richard Bell ruled evidence gathered in a no-notice home search of Adam Lackman, the man behind TVAddons, was inadmissible.

And with it TVAddons was given a lifeline, with the popular Kodi add-on repository coming back online.

However, last month a judge hearing the case in a court of appeals in Canada reversed the decision.

Justice Yves de Montigny said TVAddons was “clearly designed” to be used by “those who want to circumvent the legal means of watching television programmes and the related costs.”

He also drew comparisons between TVAddons and ‘fully loaded’ Kodi boxes.

These devices are set-top boxes, created by third-party sellers that are in no way associated with Kodi, which have illegal add-ons installed onto it.

Judge de Montigny said: “The service offered by the respondent through the TVAddons website is no different from the service offered through the set-top boxes.

“The means through which access is provided to infringing content is different (one relied on hardware while the other relied on a website), but they both provided unauthorised access to copyrighted material without authorisation of the copyright owners.”

Justice de Montigny concluded by saying that Judge Bell’s findings last June, which gave TVAddons a reprieve, were “fatally flawed”.

The news comes as the Kodi surge continues without any sign of stopping, as users continue to ditch paid TV services for the online player.

Research has suggested Kodi - which offers access to thousands of channels - is being used in more than five million UK homes.

Kodi software is not illegal, but developers can produce third-party add-ons that provide free access to pirated and illegal content.

These apps allow users to stream premium content, like paid-for sports and movie channels for free.

And it’s these illegal add-ons that are being targeted by ISPs, government agencies, broadcasters and rights holders.