Milan, Sept. 10 (LaPresse) – The fight against digital piracy continues and has resulted in another important outcome: a compensation action that football rights holders in Italy can promote against illegal users. The rights holders – as stated in a press release – have formally requested and obtained from the competent judicial authority the names of over two thousand users (in 80 Italian provinces) who subscribed to illegal IPTV and have already been sanctioned by the financial police in recent months. Compensation actions for damages may now be initiated against them. The users involved had been identified as part of an operation carried out by the special goods and services unit of the Rome financial police and the economic-financial police unit of Lecce, coordinated by the local prosecutor's office. The investigations led to the dismantling of an IPTV infrastructure that was broadcasting content in violation of copyright law (no. 633/41), tracing users through detailed analysis of personal, banking, and geographical data. Authorization by the competent prosecutor's office enabled the transmission of data to the rights holders, who now have the necessary information to act in civil and administrative proceedings. Since the beginning of the year, nearly 2,500 pirate users have been sanctioned and over 3,000 are currently being identified. "Watching content illegally puts viewers at risk and strikes at the very core of the sport. It’s not clever. It’s not free. It’s not without consequences," commented Stefano Azzi, CEO of Dazn Italia, "a compensation action, which can amount to several thousand euros, is equivalent to about ten years of legal subscriptions. Supporting from the stadium or legally from home is the safest choice for viewers and the only way to keep alive the show we love. Sincere thanks to law enforcement and all institutions for their work."
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