Technology Editor at the Irish Independent Adrian Weckler told Newstalk that guards are in a very difficult position when it comes to enforcing laws about dodgy boxes because of their prevalence.

Providers like SKY or Virgin are reviewing ways to use information gleaned from things such as WhatsApp messages to identify both providers and users of ‘dodgy boxers’. 

Adrian Weckler, Technology Editor at the Irish Independent and host of the Big Tech show podcast, joins Newstalk Saturday’s Emmet Oliver to discuss.

Mr Weckler told Newstalk that guards are in a very difficult position when it comes to enforcing laws about dodgy boxes because of their prevalence. 

“The means of prosecuting the usage of these devices is too onerous. 

“The big difference with other European countries is that in Ireland you need to launch a formal prosecution through the courts before you can fine users. It’s months of paperwork and often not considered to be worth it.”

He noted that Ireland has similar aspirations to prosecute the usage more severely and follow in its European counterpart’s footsteps.

“There's some evidence from other European countries that that system over time might change and that it might become easier to find and prosecute dodgy box users in Ireland. 

“The suppliers are people selling the dodgy boxes and someone who your friend referred to on a WhatsApp group or on a Facebook page or some other social media entity. You then contact them and pay five to ten euros a month for access. 

“That supply chain does face some disruption.”

Mr Weckler told Newstalk that the business of dodgy boxes was relatively easy to set up because it relies on communities and social clubs. 

A man is holding a remote control of a smart TV in his hand.

Dodgy boxes are small plug in devices that pick up premium content you wouldn’t originally have access to by illegally by bypassing paywalls and software locks. 

They usually offer more than legally available TV streams like a Firestick or even satellite dishes. 

If an Amazon firestick, which is a legal product, is tampered with it becomes a dodgy box and effectively illegal. 

“What's interesting is the sophistication because generally speaking, these dodgy box services or suppliers, they're through direct debit or a payment process that is set up in the modern way,”  Adrian Weckler told Newstalk Saturday. 

“It's all done digitally. It's all done online. Some of the suppliers and the distributors are outside Ireland, though many of them are in Ireland. That’s who the guards would be after.”

Other European countries have begun to find users directly by changing the law. 

Instead of having to launch, involve the Director of Public Prosecutions and launch a really formal court prosecution they give power to regulatory agencies to issue administrative fines on people. The guards can then raid a seller of the boxes and find their client lists. They verify that those lists are correct.

Amazon Firestick and remote. Picture by: Homesh Nasre.

An administrative fine is then issued, starting from 170 euros to 750. 

This system is already in place in Italy where repeat offenses fines can go up to thousands of euros.

“I don’t think the Government will change the law now but a change in the law is inevitable over time”, Adrian Weckler told Newstalk Saturday. 

“I don't think it's sustainable to keep the current system because it's not just Sky and it's not just a million pound a week Premier League players who are at risk here, it’s the whole TV system as well. 

“If you can't fund TV programming, then TV programming won't be made.”

Main Image: A television with video streaming services. Picture by: Michael Zech.