Is IPTV Legal? – Everything You Need to Know About the Legality of IPTV

The media industry is bustling with content. From TV shows and movies to soap operas, there’s always something new in the market. We often tend to miss our favorite TV shows due to busy schedules and impending deadlines. With such a massive onslaught of content, it’s no surprise that audiences want to shift to more convenient and personalized services. 

Behold, the holy grail for all dedicated TV viewers: IPTV streaming. Even though the concept of web TV isn’t new and promises all that customers want and more, people still have some doubts. Questions about the reality and legality of IPTV in the US, Canada, the UK, and so on are not uncommon. When things sound too good to be true, people tend to believe they’re either not too good or not true. Fortunately, we’ll be settling all these debates once and for all in this guide. Keep reading to find out the what’s, the how’s, the do’s, and the don’ts of IPTV streaming.

IPTV Legality FAQs: What Is IPTV and Is It Legal in Your Region?

Ever wonder why we let others decide what we get to watch on TV, and when? Do the limited cable options bother you as well? Imagine being able to watch your favorite 9 pm soap opera or game show at 4 am. This is what we often call the IPTV experience.

What does IPTV do?

It gives you the freedom to choose what shows you want to watch and when you want to watch them. IPTV service providers do this by providing you streaming through internet signals rather than good old fiber optics or satellites. Sounds straightforward, right? Well, it is and isn’t at the same time, and that’s what this article is about. 

There is a pesky little grey area regarding the legality of the service.

A simple rule can sum up the complexities surrounding IPTV legality. The unauthorized provision of any type of content that has copyrights is illegal. The keywords here are unauthorized and copyrights. Technically, the service isn’t illegal. But sometimes, WebTV providers can give viewers access to content over which they have no legal rights. In this case, the otherwise legal IPTV service becomes illegal.

What Is IPTV?

IPTV is Internet Protocol Television. The term might seem a little complex, but it’s relatively simple. If you know what an IP address is, this IP might seem familiar. You guessed it right- it has to do with the internet.

In simpler words, it’s watching TV on the internet. IPTV utilizes your internet connection to deliver television programming. IPTV service providers make this possible by using broadband internet connections. This varies from the average internet connection, which can provide anywhere from 1 to 10 Mbps. On the other hand, a broadband line can give an average bandwidth of 10–100Mbps.

What a viewer typically needs to watch the shows is a computer or a set-top box. A set-top box is required in the case of older television sets. It essentially acts as a translator that will connect your television to the internet. Since older technology is not equipped to integrate with IPTV and other modern technology, these devices come in handy.

IPTV service works by utilizing VOD or Time-shift media.

VOD: Video on Demand is exactly what its name indicates. It is a convenient tool that enables its users to watch shows when they want. With VOD, you don’t need to worry about missing an episode. You can always watch it later or “on-demand”. 

VOD services also include movie streaming sites.

All you need to do is tell them what you want to watch. The requested show gets delivered to the viewer via the internet. Netflix is one of the leading video-on-demand service providers at the moment.

Time-shift Media: 

Although similar to VOD, time-shift media is a more limited option. This IPTV is more like “Catch-up TV. ” 

The major differentiating factor between the two is time. Unlike VOD, the time-shift media only provides content up to a specific time limit. 

Live IPTV: 

Live IPTV allows you to live stream shows and sports.

Why Does The Legality of IPTV Matter?

The fact that some of the content that the IPTV service provides is subjected to copyrights makes utilizing the service questionable. In real-time, using unlicensed content is equivalent to stealing. Ultimately, as a viewer, you may be considered an enabler in the act.

Even though there aren’t any severe repercussions to subscribers yet, would you really want to participate in an activity that involves theft?

The uncertainty that comes with the non-mainstream IPTV services is a significant point to ponder. This uncertainty arises when the legality of the provided content is under question.

Think of a situation in which you’ve bought an IPTV service for six months. If the providers are charged with copyright infringement due to the provision of unlicensed content, the service will ultimately be terminated. 

These services are primarily non-refundable, and you will end up losing all that money for nothing. Since these were illegal IPTV services, you’re no longer entitled to retrieve that amount by law either.

Is IPTV Legal or Is IPTV Illegal?

The controversy surrounding IPTV can be resolved by differentiating the two kinds of IPTV services provided around the market. Before coming to that, we must first understand what defines the legality of media content.

Content regulation is by imposing certain laws, including the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). This digital millennium copyright act prevents unlicensed services from selling content they don’t have rights for. They are in place to prevent people from stealing valuable content the creators spent much effort making. In addition to this, these laws protect the rights the content creators have over publishing their content.

Legal service providers are the ones that abide by the DMCA regulations. They have to pay a specified amount to content creators to obtain a license to stream content on channels. They are also obligated to pay a percentage of their acquired revenue to the channel. The license costs are added to the subscription fee the users have to pay initially. 

You will find that this is one primary reason why legitimate IPTV services cost more than illegal ones. This may also be used as an indicating factor when you’re trying to decide if a particular IPTV service is legal or not. If there is no subscription fee for your IPTV service, then you might want to reconsider subscribing. Another factor to keep in mind is the monthly fee you’re paying for the IPTV service. 

Why Illegal Services Cost Less

Because the illegal service providers are able to cut license acquirement costs, you get a cheaper deal with them. So even though you might save a few bucks, it isn’t the most ethical approach to attaining some quality content.

Other than the moral aspect of the scenario, the legal aspect must also be brought to light. Copyright infringements are more common than you think and are a popular cause of headaches for lawyers all over the world.

Not knowing if the shows your IPTV service provides are licensed makes it difficult for IPTV users to navigate these legal waters. It’s very likely that your particular IPTV service provider is using licensed content, and you’re good to go. But if they aren’t, they’ll make sure you don’t get to know about it. Subscribers often remain in the dark till someone gets caught and services get canceled. By then, it’s going to be pretty useless to find out anyways.

The Functioning of Illegal IPTV

Now to answer the question of how illegal IPTV works?

What makes an average IPTV service illegal is the lack of licensing. A service provider may allow you to stream content it isn’t authorized to. However, there is a loophole in this scenario. If a user has a subscription to a streaming service, they are already paying money to have access to said content. The source could be dismissed in this circumstance.

In the early 2000s, a vast majority of iPod users used iTunes to rip off CDs onto their devices. What saved them from potential legal action was a minor licit technicality.

Per copyright laws, they had technically paid for access to the songs on a CD. This meant they were free to choose the device they wanted to use for it. Thus, copyright holders couldn’t get the hang of them. Although there is still controversy over the application of the same logic, in this case, it could be useful as a potential defense.

You must now be wondering how people get away with most of their illegal IPTV services.

Remember the set-top box we talked about in the beginning? That’s where the felony happens. Now the set-top box in itself is entirely legal and authorized to be used. The delinquency is in the illegally configured add-ons. Certain deliquescent developers may install illegitimate software that catches Internet streaming (IPTV) channels without obtaining licenses from owners.

Conclusively, the legitimacy of an IPTV service is based more on the way it is used than the service itself. 

Is IPTV Streaming Legal in the United States?

IPTV laws tend to vary from country to country. Therefore, residents of the United States are bound to be concerned about whether IPTV is legal in the US. The Legislation in America provides that you’re not breaking the law if you’re merely watching unauthorized content. According to some opinions, downloading and distributing it is where the problem occurs. 

But the views are divided here as well. Other opinions claim that buffering is, in fact, a form of downloading. This owes to the fact that the content does get saved on your system. Thus the law is compromised without fault. 

Supportive arguments to this opinion are that temporary copies of content are saved on your device. Contradictory arguments may state that a transitory time limit isn’t set by law for the copies, so there is a margin here.

Even though the legal status of unauthorized access to content is ambiguous, keep in mind that you’re accessing content you aren’t paying for completely. And that is the best marker to answer the question, “Is IPTV legal in the US?”

The answer is no in this case.

Is IPTV Legal in Canada?

IPTV has a significant history when we move north from America. The cable operators in Canada have been making tireless efforts to incorporate IPTV services in the country for some time now. This might be an adequate cord-cutting agenda on their end. 

Even though the IPTV service will be very fruitful to the general public, it will cause significant losses to the country’s communication gods. 

Legal issues don’t arise if IPTV service providers provide transparency of proper licensing status and authorizations. To answer the question, yes, IPTV is legal in Canada if providers strictly abide by laws.

Is IPTV Legitimate in the UK? 

In the UK, the broadcasting trends are a little unique. The UK broadcasting system operated using an initial TV license fee. This is the payment you make to acquire rights to utilize the broadcasting infrastructure. In addition to this, this is the payment you make to get the content. 

Coming to the point, IPTV is perfectly legal in the UK. In fact, the leading provider of IPTV service in the UK is none other than BBC. They use the iPlayer logo for representation.

The above-mentioned TV license may not be required if you watch catch-up, use a computer, or the “watch later” feature.

Although there are some secondary payments, such as the TV service license involved, the baseline is that IPTV is perfectly legitimate in the UK.

Is It Illegal to Watch IPTV in Europe?

European laws are more or less straightforward when it comes to streaming pirated content. To decode the European legislation, you can access what you acquire authorization for. The rest isn’t yours unless you pay for it or take permission.

Consequently, you will be breaking the law if you try to access it otherwise.

As of 2017, strict laws have been passed on viewing and distributing unsubscribed and unlicensed content. Owners have exclusive rights to take offenders and delinquents to court if they don’t have licenses for the content. 

They can even demand heavy fines. You don’t want to end up spending millions of pounds in a sketchy effort to save a few. However, people are free to use legitimate IP service providers such as Netflix, ESPN, or others for a personalized television experience.

Is Kodi IPTV Streaming Legal?

Kodi is primarily an open-source software that permits streaming content. Simply putting it, Kodi does not have much to offer on its own. Any content that it provides is from other sources.

This content includes websites in addition to digital devices. The digital devices can be operated as add-ons. 

It doesn’t just end here. Kodi has introduced Kodi boxes as well. These can be utilized by adding media to it.

Like other IPTV services, streaming on Kodi is absolutely legal. What makes it illegal is accessing unpaid-for content.

So, Kodi in itself is not illegal (other than in Europe). But it can be illegally used, which may lead to severe repercussions and other risks.

When Is IPTV Illegal?

IPTV is inherently a very legal service. To say that the service itself is illegal would be an injustice. For example, owning a weapon isn’t illegal, but owning an unlicensed one most definitely is. 

Furthermore, using the said weapon in a justified and lawful way, such as when an authorized person would do so in self-defense, is perfectly fine. But the unauthorized misuse of the same device will have serious legal consequences.

Similarly, using an IPTV service such as Netflix and Disney Plus is in no way a breach of the law. But using rigged set-top boxes to access pirated and unauthorized content will make the same device an unlawful one.

As Kieron Sharp, CEO of the Federation Against Copyright Theft, clearly says:

“If you are accessing content for free such as sport, TV, and films for which you’d typically need a subscription, or go to the cinema, or buy a DVD, this is illegal.”

Why You Should Avoid Illegal IPTV Services

In addition to the ethical misconduct that accessing pirated content entails, the legal repercussions might also make you reconsider your thrifty ploy.

One of the primary risks of going against the law for low-cost or free IPTV is extensive visits to courts and even a hefty sentence. The cherry on top may be heavy on the pocket fine!

As of recently, with giants such as Premier League and UEFA cracking down on piracy streaming, the laws have become even stricter. 

An example is “pub landlord,” who paid £24,000 because they weren’t providing legal IPTV services.

Internet service providers (ISPNs) have been ordered to track and identify illegal service providers as well as users. A possible lawsuit could be awaiting you in the near future, especially if you’re a UK resident.

Contrary to your expectations, there are some secondary downsides to these shenanigans as well.

You may get scammed

The reality of things that seem too good to be true is that they are most of the time. Trying to outsmart the system might lead to significant monetary losses in the name of scams.

Buying IPTV subscriptions on sites like eBay often requires untraceable crypto-currency payment. 

In what could be a classic case of a player getting played, you might end up spending double the amount of what you would on a legitimate subscription.

What’s a more considerable risk is the chance that your illegal service gets cracked down upon, and you lose that one-year subscription you so happily paid for.

Viruses and malware run rampant

A report from the Association of Internet Security Professionals declared that 97% of illegal streaming services produce malware.

This might easily give the provider complete access to your personal data, credit card info, or any other type of data saved on your device. So don’t be surprised when you wake up to a dry bank account the morning after you download a sketchy IPTV platform.

Poor user experience

Since these websites aren’t mainstream and don’t have too much competition due to the low prices, they might compromise the user experience. With a mediocre user interface and slow services, they might prove to be more of a hassle than a hack.

Your ISP could downgrade or disable your internet

Most IPTV service providers use home-based servers. These are very conveniently traced and cracked down by ISP, who has been ordered to regulate IPTV piracy trends strictly. 

The PayPal payment that you conveniently made might also end up exposing you. With television giants such as UEFA coming for piracy servers, your local ISP might penalize you by disabling your internet or downgrading it. 

There’s no rocket science to it since ISPs already have access to all of your online endeavors.

How to Protect Yourself If You Accidentally Watch Illegal IPTV?

With the vagueness associated with trustworthy services, there’s a good chance that you could accidentally end up using an illegal one. The first measure you should take in this case is identity protection from your ISP. 

So if you do plan on escaping the ISP check, a good option is a VPN. A VPN is a virtual private network. It is basically a vanishing cloak for your internet shenanigans. It’s an encrypted connection that allows you to access otherwise inaccessible websites.

What it does is, is let you use another server. For example, you could be sitting in your room in Dubai and access the American servers. This will allow you to access sites prohibited in your country anonymously

IPVanish is the only true Top Tier VPN provider. Because they own and operate their entire network, their connections are faster and safer than any other VPN provider in the world.

As the only true Top Tier VPN in the world, IPVanish owns and operates every aspect of its network. That network spans more than 1,600 lightning-quick VPN servers in 75+ locations around the world. With such extensive coverage, fast and reliable IPVanish connections are always accessible, no matter where you are.

Because they don’t outsource any of their infrastructures, IPVanish offers the fastest virtual private network speeds on the planet. Our Top Tier VPN service consistently delivers the lowest latency, highest download speeds, fastest upload speeds, and quickest ping times in the industry. Enjoy the web the way you were always meant to – unrestricted.

Types of Illegal IPTV Services to Watch For

The three notorious types of services you should keep an eye out for are:

Shady Websites

IPTV services are accessible and easy to find. But the alarming thing is the vast library of non-mainstream websites circulating the internet seamlessly. An easy way to avoid these malicious platforms is extensive research and obtaining trustworthy reviews. Try sticking to the more mainstream and reputable platforms for your personalized VOD services.

Illegal Plugins

Plugins aren’t illegal if a trusted source provides them. Additionally, if they don’t serve to illegally leech premium content, they are completely fine.

But certain sketchy third-party providers may use them with the intent of piracy. This will ultimately make you liable for legal action.

Third-Party Subscription Services

The abundance of illicit websites isn’t foreign to any user. If they offer prices as low as five dollars per month, it does make the average person wonder where the catch is.

One could ignore the risks and consequences of adhering to the use of such websites. Alternatively, you could also be fooled by the legit interface and services. But it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

You should always ensure the legitimacy of the programs you are accessing.

Bonus: Five Best IPTV Service Providers

1. IPTV Trends

IPTVTrends is definitely one of the most suggested and greatest IPTV providers. This is because they supply over 20,000+ live Television networks as well as 60,000+ VODs. Moreover, for channels and VOD, they provide programming in HD, HQ, and 4K quality.

Additionally, it is compatible with a broad range of devices, including Firestick, Computer/Laptop, Mobile, Smart TVs, and others. Plus,  GSE IPTV,   IPTV Smarter Pro, TiviMate, Lazy IPTV, Kodi, and more apps are compatible with this service.

Pricing:

• $18.99 for a month
• $50.99 for 3 months
• $80.99 for 6 months

The most popular IPTV service allows users to watch live Television programs, movies, web series, and other content. Plus, their service will astonish you because it is functional with nearly every gadget and operates with all apps.

This IPTV service has anti-freeze servers and provides a buffer-free service. Thus, if you want to understand more about it, you may buy a trial from them.

2. Xtreme HD IPTV

Live TV, films, and renowned programming are all available on Xtreme HD IPTV. Moreover, you may choose from a large number of English as well as other language channels. Also, catch-up is a one-of-a-kind function that allows users to stream the most recent movies and television episodes. 

Pricing:

• $14.99 per month

Plus, it also features a multi-screen capability that allows you to simultaneously view numerous shows.

Thus, Xtreme HD IPTV is an excellent IPTV service provider with a wide selection of popular TV series and films. Further, it includes a user-friendly design that makes finding the stuff you want simple.

3. Typhoon Labs TV

Typhoon Labs TV is a specialized IPTV / OTT provider for the United States and Canada. Moreover, it provides 1500+ FHD & HD assorted Tv Streaming feeds. Therefore it is the finest option for watching anything from headlines to sports and children’s programming.

All game passes are accessible through services such as the NFL, NBA, and others. Typhoon’s vast VOD library also includes movies and on-demand TV shows.

Pricing:

• $19.99 for a month
• $39.99 for three months
• $59.99 for six months
• $79.99 fr 12 months

4. TV Subscription

TV Subscription is an IPTV system that provides access to a vast and diverse selection of television channels. You may utilize it to view sports, news, animation, movies, and series, among other things. 

Further, it delivers regular updates for the top movies and TV series. Thus, you will get access to a huge database of content if you subscribe to TV Subscriptions.

Moreover, you may use it on any device. It’s simple to set up and offers 24-hour assistance. Also, its traffic arrangements are adaptable. It can handle 4K and 8K resolutions.

Pricing:

• Basic Pack requires $13.99 for a month
• Standard Pack requires $29.99 for three months
• Premium Pack requires $49.99 for six months
• Gold Pack requires $69.00 for 12 months

5. IPTV Promotions

When we talk about reliable IPTV services, few can beat IPTV promotions’ international reputation. It offers ten thousand premium Live TV channels. Moreover, you also have membership for over 20,000 VOD titles. These include movies and TV series. 

Plus, IPTV Promotions is compatible with Smart TVs as well as streaming devices like Chromecast and Firestick. Further, it’s also compatible with Google TV and Apple TV.

 IPTV Promotions also excel in terms of reliability. Therefore, customers may enjoy a hassle-free watching experience. Also, this is thanks to more than 100 dependable servers situated across the world.

Pricing:

• $12.5 per month
• $40 per six months
• $64.99 annually

Stay Safe While Streaming and Stick to Reliable IPTV Providers!

Thus, you can conclude that IPTV service is not illegal if provided in accordance with the relevant laws. Moreover, you have the answer to your question, “ is IPTV legal in the US?” 

Therefore, we wouldn’t discourage you from subscribing to one yourself. What you need to be sure of is that you choose a well-known IPTV streaming service, such as Hulu, Netflix, or Amazon.

As long as you’re not watching stolen content, you’ve got nothing to worry about.

Happy watching!