Singapore Tightens the Rules on Skanky Streaming Gear
Ever bought a set‑top box that secretly turns your living room into a pirate den? Singapore’s new crack‑down on that is coming. The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) is revamping the Copyright Act, and almost every scene where you could sell or ride the wave of pirated content is about to become a legal headache.
Crack‑down in a Nutshell
- No more loopholes: Sellers can’t hide behind a brand name or a “clean” device that later gets tweaked.
- Both individuals and companies face big money penalties – up to $100,000 for folks and $200,000 for firms.
- Criminal penalties include up to five years in jail or a hefty fine or both.
- Retailers can get sued by rights owners – that means courts can pop in when you sell a shady box.
What’s Really Under the Hammer?
- All commercial sales of pirated content, whether through set‑top boxes, streaming apps, or even software that lets you stream music or games for free.
- Providers can force sellers to halt sales or pay damages if they lose out.
- Even if a device looks innocent but ships you an “extras” guide to install an illegal app, it’s still off‑limits.
- Smart TVs and other gadgets that get sickened with forbidden apps will also land in the crosshairs.
Why the Shake-Up?
Old laws just didn’t cover the brand‑new streaming tech of today. MinLaw admits that until now, the legal gray area allowed retailers to slide these boxes into your pantry without a second thought.
“Customers often think they’re getting legitimate content, while paying for a device that’s basically a free‑bie to the underground,” a ministry spokesperson told The Straits Times. “That middle‑man game is just stupidly risky.”
Past Victories, and How Mine Are Coming Home
Legal action has raggad. Only a handful of cases exist – like the $36,600 fine on a 2019‑86 pirate who sold billions of $219 Amazon‑style boxes. Yet each case knocked a brick in the walls of piracy.
Now, with the new provisions, it’s more than an extra sale: it’s acts to facilitate illegal streaming. Even a clean box with a manual for a “secret app” is under threat.
On the Road to a Cleaner Market
MinLaw says these changes aim to encourage the legit way to enjoy movies, shows, and music. They want to make pirating not just harder to profit from but also a not‑so‑fun legal nightmare.
There are no hidden loopholes left. If you think it’s cool to get free sports or movies through a trick‑packed device, you’re probably on the wrong side of the law—and the court will find out.
Android TV boxes for sale at Sim Lim Square in 2019. Selling set-top boxes that offer access to pirated online streams of movies and television shows will soon be outlawed. PHOTO: ST FILE
Still, they do not overtly address the issue of people using devices or services to watch pirated content.
Mr Kang said there are practical and cost considerations in taking action against users. “The aim of the change in the law is to deal with the problem at source,” he noted, in other words the import and distribution of the offending set-top boxes.
But the Copyright Act has other provisions to address the issue of people consuming copyright-infringing content, he added.
For example, content owners can try to get a court order that requires Internet service providers to block access to websites that stream unauthorised content.
The proposed amendments, and others, arose from a review of the Copyright Act that involved a three-year assessment and several rounds of consultation since 2016.
The Act was last revised in 2014.
The Bill introduced in Parliament on Tuesday simplifies the wording of the law to make it more accessible.
It also proposes to make it a requirement for anyone who uses or shares a work or performance publicly, such as putting up a dance video or photo of a painting online or publishing the piece, to identify the creator or performer.
This has to be done in a clear and reasonably prominent manner, said MinLaw.
There are some instances – such as artistic works in public places – where this crediting is not needed.
Another suggested change will allow creators of photographs, portraits, engravings, sound recordings and films to be the default first owners of the copyright, even if they are commissioned to make them.
Currently, the commissioning party or employer has default ownership.
The proposed amendment will put the creators in the same position as the originators of other commissioned works – such as songs, computer graphics and books – who have the copyright ownership from the get-go.
But a creator’s copyright ownership can be waived in contracts during negotiations.
If the Bill on the Copyright Act changes is passed in Parliament, MinLaw expects most of the provisions to kick in around November.
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
Copyright/Intellectual propertyStreaming – Music/Video/Content
