Italy introduces tougher penalties for TV piracy

The Italian government has significantly toughened penalties for those involved in TV piracy, including individuals who fail to report illegal activities.

Two new amendments, recently approved by the Senate, introduce prison sentences of up to one year for anyone who does not report piracy or related offences. These measures are designed to protect copyright and tackle the growing issue of illegal content distribution through IPTV boxes. The government’s stance demonstrates a ‘zero-tolerance’ policy towards piracy.

Alongside increased penalties for consumers of illegal content, the amendments also place additional responsibilities on service providers, such as VPN and DNS companies. These providers will now be subject to stricter obligations to collaborate with authorities in halting the distribution of pirated material.

One significant development is the creation of a ‘failure to report’ offence. Under this new regulation, individuals who become aware of piracy activities but fail to report them to authorities in a timely manner will face penalties, including possible imprisonment. This rule applies to VPN and DNS service providers, such as Google and Cloudflare.

These amendments are part of a broader strategy to reinforce Italy’s anti-piracy laws and safeguard the rights of content creators.

The Serie A League has applauded the Italian authorities' recent actions against the illegal streaming of matches.

CEO Luigi De Siervo highlighted the crucial role of technology in the fight against piracy and urged for stricter punishments for companies that fail to address the problem.

The league’s push to combat piracy is largely driven by the financial losses caused by illegal streaming, which affects revenue from TV rights and stadium attendance. This, in turn, impacts the clubs’ ability to sign top-tier players.