Kodi has issued a lengthy and brutal statement on its own blog condemning Kodi apps that promote piracy.
There’s no shortage of confusion about the name Kodi. That’s because although Kodi is little more than a free, open-source media player, its name has been dragged through the mud courtesy of ‘Kodi Boxes’. These so-called “fully-loaded” set-top boxes come with Kodi installed, often with a wide array of piracy-friendly apps bundled with it too.
They’re popular because they let you watch TV shows, movies, or live sports for free, that would otherwise require payment to view. You can buy these boxes online or from dodgy traders, and they’re becoming increasingly contentious in the eyes of the law.
This crackdown has led to lots of piracy add-ons for Kodi being shut down, which has resulted in Kodi’s forums being flooded with user complaints about their “Kodi Box” not working. Unsurprisingly, Kodi has little sympathy for these people:
“If you post in our forums or social channels about a pirate add-on or streaming service not working, please expect ZERO sympathy or support.
It continued: “And to counter a popular comment; if the Kodi user base drops a huge percentage because pirate services flee or die, we’re fine with that. Jodi has been around since 2002 and we are not going to implode or disappear (unlike the pirates). Life will be a little quieter, but less time spent on self-entitled whiny people means more time writing great code and having fun. We’re okay with that too.”
The company used the statement to reiterate that it has “never manufactured a ‘Kodi Box’” and that it does “not supply media content”. It describes anyone selling these “fully-loaded” devices as “criminals who profit from piracy”, and snubs the Kodi ecosystem that has grown up online:
“Criminals selling “Pirate Boxes” are supported by an ecosystem of “Kodi News, Help and Tips” websites promoting “the best Kodi add-ons” and services (for pirated/stolen content) and YouTube clowns who output an endless stream of diarrhoea that redefines #fakenews.”
(Image Credit: Kodi) Kodi bemoans anyone supporting the piracy ecosystem that surrounds the Kodi software
The statement went on: “These sites and channels do not exist because their operators are die-hard Kodi fans who want to help the community. They exist because the operators are die-hard fans of the advertising revenues being generated. Local courts must decide whether they are also criminals, but it is obvious they sustain and profit from piracy.”
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What’s your stance on the Kodi piracy debate? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
