Premier League players from clubs including Manchester United and Liverpool are spearheading the latest instalment of the League’s ‘Boot Out Piracy’ campaign, to raise awareness with Singaporean fans of the risks and detrimental effects of streaming illegal content.
Launched for the third season in Singapore, this year’s campaign features Premier League stars including Casemiro (Manchester United), Diogo Jota (Liverpool), Julio Enciso (Brighton & Hove Albion), Abdoulaye Doucouré (Everton) and Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest).
In a series of videos which will appear across digital channels, the players highlight how those who access Premier League content through unofficial websites or streaming devices leave themselves vulnerable to the threat of cyber-attacks, including harmful malware and ransomware.
This poses the danger of scams, data theft, fraudulent activities, and also means they are likely to watch matches on unreliable and poor-quality streams.
A report released by the Digital Citizens Alliance in June 2023, titled ‘Giving Piracy Operators Credit’, found that 44 per cent of users who accessed pirate content online had experienced instances of identity theft.
The same report also found 46 per cent of users engaging in piracy had experienced malware, compared to only nine per cent who did not engage in piracy.
Professor Paul Watters, a leading cybersecurity consultant and researcher, said, “There were record losses as a result of malware attacks in 2022.
“Consumers should be aware that sites and apps which stream pirated content are one of the main sources of these attacks.
“While antivirus software can help consumers, it cannot keep up with the explosion in malware variants every day.”
The Premier League is continuing its close working relationship with local authorities throughout Asia and across the world to bring criminal action against website operators and suppliers of illicit streaming devices.
In Singapore, close collaboration with the Intellectual Property Rights Branch of the Singapore Police Force (SPF) has led to anti-piracy successes, including the arrest of 17 illegal streaming devices vendors from Sim Lim Square from a police raid organised by the SPF in 2022, as well as a landmark legal victory in 2019 against a retailer that was enabling illegal broadcasts of Premier League football and other entertainment content.
The League commended the work of the Singaporean Government regulators in their continuing efforts in targeting sports piracy syndicates operating in territory as over 450 domains of illicit streaming devices and websites responsible for pirated Premier League content have been blocked through such efforts, with further rounds of blocks anticipated this season.
As well as disrupting illegal streams of Premier League and other content, they are also limiting access to unlicensed and unregulated gambling operations that pose unacceptable risks to consumers.
Premier League General Counsel Kevin Plumb said, “We know how passionate fans in Singapore and across Asia are about Premier League football.
“Through the ‘Boot Out Piracy’ campaign, we continue to highlight the significant risks of watching matches through illegal streams.
“Those who do so not only miss out on the best possible viewing experience, they also face a range of cyber-security dangers.
“By accessing pirated content, people make themselves vulnerable to criminals, who use a wide range of methods to compromise the devices of viewers.
“This can lead to numerous issues, including fraud and identity theft.
“Our advice to Singaporean football fans is to not put their online safety at risk and to watch Premier League football in the best possible quality through our official broadcast partner.”
In Singapore, the Premier League works in collaboration with local broadcast partner StarHub on the ‘Boot Out Piracy’ campaign.
PHOTO: PREMIER LEAGUE