Sky has issued cease-and-desist letters to around 200 users of illegal streaming devices in Ireland, warning recipients they could face court action unless they immediately stop accessing pirated television services.
The letters give recipients 14 days to confirm in writing that they will cease using illegal IPTV services. Sky warned that failure to comply, or any future breach, could result in injunctions, financial damages and recovery of legal costs.
The enforcement action follows a landmark ruling by the Irish High Court earlier this year, which allowed Sky to obtain customer information linked to alleged illegal streaming payments.
The broadcaster secured the data through a Norwich Pharmacal order against Revolut after identifying more than 300 customers who had allegedly paid suppliers of pirated IPTV services.
According to Sky, the targeted users are believed to have purchased subscriptions enabling access to premium channels through modified streaming devices such as hacked Amazon Fire TV Sticks and other illegal IPTV applications.
The company stressed that viewing Sky channels without a valid subscription infringes copyright law and constitutes illegal activity.
The crackdown highlights growing pressure on illegal streaming networks across the UK and Ireland as broadcasters seek to protect the value of expensive sports and entertainment rights agreements.
Authorities and anti-piracy groups including Federation Against Copyright Theft have increasingly warned that illegal streaming operations are often linked to organised criminal networks.
Law enforcement agencies have also raised concerns over cybersecurity risks associated with modified streaming devices, with some software reportedly capable of harvesting sensitive financial and personal data from users.
Sky, which spends billions securing rights to competitions including the Premier League, operates a dedicated anti-piracy division focused on tracking and disrupting illegal streaming activity.
