HBO hunts down Game of Thrones pirates
A week after the first four episodes of the fifth season of Game of Thrones leaked online, HBO is contacting downloaders directly to stem flow.
Millions are believed to have download the episodes, which became available just before the hit show was due to premiere its latest season in 170 countries.
Torrentfreak reports HBO has now tracked down thousands of downloaders, sending letters directly and to internet service providers via its anti-piracy partner IP-Echelon in an effort to warn users away from the illegal downloads.
It has also issued take down notices to sites which have shared the files and moved to stop users of Twitter’s Periscope app from streaming the leaked content.
While downloaders who receive letters from their ISPs may have little to fear legally, HBO reportedly hopes the measure will prompt downloaders to think twice.
Hundreds of thousands of internet users downloaded the leaked episodes within hours of them becoming available last week, making it one of the most significant cases of internet piracy to date.
The leak reportedly originated from a review screener issued prior to the premiere and is likely to prove particularly disappointing for the company, which has been increasing its efforts to stop people illegally accessing Game of Thrones.
The show’s ratings appear unaffected, however, with record breaking numbers of viewers watching the show legally last week.
More than eight million people in the US tuned in for the season debut with more than 500,000 watching in Australia on Foxtel.
News break – April 20
