The government announces it will not allow importers, distributors and retailers to commercially benefit when knowingly dealing with set-top boxes enabled to allow access to unauthorized content.

 

The Singapore government announced that it will be amending the Copyright Act to update its copyright regime in an effort to support creators and users of video content. A critical part of the suite of amendments includes new enforcement measures to deter retailers from profiting from providing access to content through unauthorised sources such as TV boxes (also known as illicit streaming devices — ISDs) that enable access to pirated TV channels and video-on-demand content.

 

The Singapore government announced that the new amendments were intended to “complement the existing mechanism for the blocking of flagrantly infringing online locations”. In November last year  the High Court ordered Singapore’s internet service providers to block access to popular illegal applications that are frequently sold pre-loaded on android TV boxes. These apps, which flagrantly infringe copyright by acting as gateways to websites streaming pirated content, had been preloaded on TV boxes which are overtly sold in retail outlets such as Sim Lim Square, IT exhibitions and on popular e-markets.

 

A November 2018 study of the content viewing behavior of Singaporean consumers, revealed that 15% of consumers use a TV box which can be used to stream pirated television and video content. The survey, commissioned by the CAP and conducted by YouGov, also highlighted the detrimental effects of streaming piracy on legitimate subscription video services. Of the 15% of consumers who purchased a TV box for free streaming, more than a quarter (28%) asserted that they cancelled their subscriptions to a Singaporean-based online video service as a direct consequence of owning an ISD.