FCC's O'Rielly Urges Amazon And eBay To Remove 'Rogue' Set-Top Boxes

[Len]

Federal Communications Commissioner Mike O'Rielly is asking Amazon and eBay to crack down on "rogue" set-top-box sellers that enable consumers to stream pirated shows.

"I recognize that both of your companies have taken proactive steps to remove devices that are marketed as facilitating piracy from your websites," he writes in a letter sent to the companies on Friday. "Unfortunately, despite your good work in this area, devices continue to make it to consumers through your websites."

He is requesting that both companies promise to quickly remove devices that don't comply with FCC rules, or that have fraudulent FCC logos.

"Some rogue set top box manufacturers and distributors are exploiting the FCC's trusted logo by fraudulently placing it on devices that have not been approved via the Commission's equipment authorization process," O'Rielly writes. "Although outside the jurisdiction of the Commission, it is equally troubling that many of these devices are being used to illegally stream copyrighted content."

He acknowledges in his letter that both companies have already taken measures to prevent the sale of some devices that many enable piracy. But the FCC Commissioner adds that these steps haven't been completely successful.

O'Rielly doesn't specifically refer to Amazon's recent legal moves, but the company has joined with Netflix and a coalition of Hollywood studios in lawsuits against three companies offering over-the-top devices that allegedly facilitate piracy -- TickBox, Dragon and Set TV. Those cases are pending in front of U.S. District Court Judge Michael Fitzgerald in Los Angeles.