Sony issues piracy warning ahead of World Cup opening game

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Sony has issued a warning to would-be pirates ahead of the start of the 2018 World Cup.

The tournament, which kicks off this Thursday, will be watched by hundreds of millions of people around the globe, though many of these are likely to tune in illegally.

Data shows that hundreds of thousands of people watched this season’s Champions League knockout games illegally, with the aid of pirate sites, illicit Kodi addons and live streams on social media.

The numbers could go through the roof when the World Cup, which only takes place every four years, gets underway.

Sony has already got to work trying to battle the pirates, reports TorrentFreak, and is sending letters to pirate sites through Indian anti-piracy firm Markscan.

“Our client has exclusive rights of broadcasting, re-broadcasting, transmitting, re-transmitting, making available for viewing and / or communicating to the public, the FIFA 2018 matches and any all content associated with it, through any medium or platform whatsoever including, without limitation, internet, mobile, cable, satellite, terrestrial, IPTV network, television, radio, etc. [across India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka],” the letter reads.

It continues: “We caution you and your website, not to indulge in any broadcasting, rebroadcasting, making available for viewing and / or communicating to the public, the FIFA 2018 matches and any content associated thereof, without obtaining permission / authorization from our client.

“We will be monitoring your activities for any act of infringement of the statutory and contractual rights of our client and shall be compelled to initiate legal proceedings (civil and/or criminal) should you engage in violation of our Client’s rights despite the present notice.”

In the UK, coverage of the World Cup is being split between ITV and the BBC, and you’ll be able to tune in in 4K HDR through iPlayer.