Two popular ‘dodgy' apps showing football games for free are BLOCKED on millions of Fire Sticks
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
TWO apps used to watch premium TV and football matches for free on Fire Sticks have been blocked, according to users.
The pair of apps provide links to hundreds of channels from across the world, ranging from movies to sports.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
1
It's not clear why the two apps have been blocked
Credit: Alamy
They can't be downloaded from Amazon's own app store, instead people side-load them onto their Fire Stick and use a VPN to avoid detection.
The two apps in question are Flix Vision and Live NetTV.
Users have started complaining on social media that the pair no longer work, suggesting Amazon may have blocked them.
It's not clear why at this stage.
AFTVNews suggests that the block may have come about due to concerns over alleged malware hiding on the apps.
Amazon has been approached by The Sun for comment.
The tech giant has been increasingly accused of not doing enough to prevent illegal streaming.
Earlier this year, broadcasting firm Sky hit out at Amazon for not doing enough to tackle piracy, saying that the problem is costing the industry "hundreds of millions of dollars".
'If you speak to friends and colleagues, [or] you watch football, people will know that you can get jail-broken Fire Sticks, and you can access pirated services on Fire Sticks,' Nick Herm, chief operating officer at Sky said in March.
Herm accused Amazon in particular of not doing "enough engagement to address some of those problems, where people are buying these devices in bulk".
He also believes that modified Fire Sticks "probably" make up "about half of the piracy" in the UK.
Amazon has previously said that it is "committed to providing customers with a high-quality streaming experience while actively promoting a streaming landscape that respects intellectual property rights and encourages the responsible consumption of content".
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Coin Geek
6 hours ago
- Coin Geek
Amazon, Walmart, JPMorgan explore stablecoins as GENIUS advances
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... It's yet again another big week for stablecoins. On June 17, the United States Senate passed the GENIUS Act (Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins) by a 68–30 vote. The GENIUS Act is a proposed bill that, if passed, will establish America's first federal framework for stablecoins. A few of its key provisions: all stablecoins must be backed 1:1 by cash or short-term Treasuries, issuers must disclose reserves and undergo audits, and there will be a licensing regime for both large and small stablecoin issuers. The bill also makes it difficult for Big Tech companies to issue a stablecoin without unanimous approval from the Treasury, Fed, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The proposed bill also outlines anti-money laundering (AML) and consumer protection requirements. In totality, the GENIUS Act is the government's attempt to regulate stablecoins for the first time. The next step is for the bill to head to the House, where it's expected to pass without resistance. After that, it will land on President Donald Trump's desk, and based on his own social media post, he seems eager to sign it. Source: Truth Social | @realDonaldTrump But even though the bill has a few stops left on its journey before becoming law, companies are wasting no time getting their stablecoin initiatives in motion. Amazon, Walmart, and JPMorgan position themselves for a stablecoin future Even before the GENIUS Act advanced this far, banks and financial institutions began laying the groundwork for stablecoin products, betting on the legislation's eventual passage. Now, we're starting to see retail giants like Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT) inch into the stablecoin world as well. Recently, rumors surfaced that Amazon and Walmart are exploring the idea of internal-use stablecoins. Shortly afterward, JPMorgan (NASDAQ: JPM) filed a trademark for a blockchain-based product called JPMD, which many speculate stands for 'JPMorgan Dollar,' and believe will be a stablecoin, even though JPMorgan's filing did not explicitly use the word 'stablecoin.' These corporates saw the early movers in crypto, especially those who launched stablecoins like Circle, generate a significant amount of revenue from their stablecoin offering, so they are now positioning themselves to do the same. With the GENIUS Act on track to pass, their plans to do this have accelerated. The commercial use-case for stablecoins At the moment, Amazon and Walmart's stablecoin plans seem to be focused on internal use; they are closed-loop tokens used within their walled gardens and suppliers' networks. This isn't exactly a new concept; it resembles what Circle, the issuer of USDC, has already started doing through its Circle Payment Network. The benefit of doing this is that instead of relying on credit card networks, which charge 2–3% per transaction, or bank transfers, which can take several days, a stablecoin-based system allows retailers to settle transactions instantly and at significantly lower costs. Amazon and Walmart's interest tracks with a broader trend in corporate America: the ongoing push to cut costs and run lean. Stablecoins offer a way to reduce the cost of payment settlement, improve efficiency, and potentially unlock new streams of revenue for their issuers. That revenue doesn't just come from cost savings either. Stablecoin issuers, under the GENIUS Act, must back tokens 1:1 with cash or equivalents. The issuers typically opt for short-term Treasuries (T-bills) as their cash equivalents, which means the issuers earn the yield on those T-bills, which is around 4% in today's economic environment. If you're managing billions in reserves, that passive yield being raked in from stablecoins becomes significant. The biggest obstacle for corporate stablecoins But these newfound commercial stablecoin strategies don't come without obstacles. For an internal stablecoin to work, the people and companies you do business with also need to be part of your stablecoin network. Let's say Amazon starts paying vendors using its stablecoin. Vendors will benefit from faster transaction settlement, but they will want a way to convert those tokens into fiat that can be redirected to their other business operations. If every major company starts issuing its own proprietary stablecoin, we'll end up with a fragmented ecosystem where every issuer will need to devise a way for their network partners to exchange their stablecoins for cash. It's unclear whether retailers will build their offramps or take advantage of existing, highly liquid infrastructure like Circle's payment network. But any supplier, vendor, or partner doing business in stablecoins will want a fast and frictionless way to convert their stablecoins to cash. Could stablecoins replace global payments We are in an era where, each day, stablecoins are becoming more embedded into the fabric of the global financial system. In today's high-interest environment, where rates are significantly higher than they were five years ago during the zero-interest rate policy era, every company is under pressure to cut costs and improve operational efficiency. Stablecoins are emerging as a solution for this when it comes to payments and settlements. But it is not all smooth sailing for stablecoin issuers. Stablecoins only work at scale if the entities a company transacts with also accept them and, even more importantly, have a way to exit those positions. Companies are beginning to roll out stablecoins and launch payment networks, but so far, we've heard much more about announcements than the outcomes of these systems. Who's actually settling transactions in stablecoins? What's the user experience like? We don't really have answers to those questions at this point in time. There will be even bigger hurdles if companies want to make their stablecoins consumer-facing. At that point, they have to convince everyday users to go out of their way to obtain a stablecoin and then use it instead of just pulling out a credit card or paying with cash. That adds a layer of friction to the payment process that might not be worth the hassle for most consumers. There isn't enough real-world data to conclude how all of this will play out. But in theory, stablecoins could become a central part of, or even a replacement for, a major piece of the traditional financial infrastructure: domestic and international payments. However, one thing is certain: As legislation like the GENIUS Act advances and rumors about household-name corporations experimenting with stablecoins spread, incumbents like Circle reap the rewards. On June 17, after news broke that the GENIUS Act had cleared the Senate, shares of CRCL jumped from $149.15 to $199.59, a 38% spike powered by one strong headline about stablecoins. Watch: Breaking down solutions to blockchain regulation hurdles title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="">
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
B&M shoppers are rushing to get hands on 10p bedroom gadget that makes cables obsolete
Other shoppers are clambering to buy 'stunning' plants being sold at a bargain price BARGAIN HUNT B&M shoppers are rushing to get hands on 10p bedroom gadget that makes cables obsolete Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) B&M SHOPPERS are rushing to get their hands on a 10p bedroom gadget that makes cables obsolete. The great little piece of tech is selling for a huge discount with one lucky shopper picking it up from their local store. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 B&M shoppers are rushing to get hands on 10p bedroom gadget that makes cables obsolete 2 The Goodmans alarm clock with QI wireless charging was sold for just 10p They shared the massive discount to social media with the caption: "Happy with my 10p bargain." The Goodmans alarm clock with QI wireless charging was already discounted from £19 but the lucky shopper got it for just 10p. The seemingly secret sale had shoppers clamouring to get to their local store to pick up one of the clocks themselves. After sharing their bargain the discount was congratulated by others and fans were extremely impressed. One said: "I've got one of these. "Wireless charging isn't great and the light isn't bright. But it's amazing as a stand for watching things in bed." Another added: "Bought one of these for Christmas. Great little gadget." "Bargain!" exclaimed another fan. B&M say that the alarm clock is perfect for placing at your bedside, around the home, in your office or by your desktop. It charges All Qi Complatible Devices and has an 8-Colour Dimmable Night Light. 6 ways to get the biggest bargains in B&M And also comes with an USB C Power Cable and is fast charging. Other shoppers are rushing to the store to get their hands on 'stunning' plants being sold at a bargain price. The discount home store is selling gorgeous plants perfect for sprucing up your garden now summer has well and truly arrived. Also at B&M, one shopper shared on Facebook that he'd snapped up the "bargain of the year" after he bagged a £50 garden toy for just £1. How to bag a bargain SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain… Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with. Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks. Sales are when you can pick up a real steal. Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on. Sign up to mailing lists and you'll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too. When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use and are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer. Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping. Bargain hunters can also use B&M's scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out. And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you'll get some of your money back or a discount on the item. The Giant Rocking Planet inflatable was originally £50, before it was reduced to £20, and then plummeted to just £1. Another bargain to help keep the kids entertained is the Gigantic Garden Slide, which was originally priced at £50, but one shopper shared how when he got the till it had been reduced to just £10. For those looking to give their garden a glow-up on a budget, Lidl has launched a new range of outdoor plants, with prices starting from just £1.99. A £4.99 pot of French Lavender, perfect for attracting bees and butterflies is just one of the items on offer. Meanwhile, a Home Bargains' £9.99 water ornament lasts 'through all seasons' & attracts wildlife to your garden. And Dunelm has launched a giant 75% off clearance sale on thousands of products with prices starting from 50p. Finally, one clever app lets you stream UK shows while you're on your summer hols – here's how.
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Two popular ‘dodgy' apps showing football games for free are BLOCKED on millions of Fire Sticks
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TWO apps used to watch premium TV and football matches for free on Fire Sticks have been blocked, according to users. The pair of apps provide links to hundreds of channels from across the world, ranging from movies to sports. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 It's not clear why the two apps have been blocked Credit: Alamy They can't be downloaded from Amazon's own app store, instead people side-load them onto their Fire Stick and use a VPN to avoid detection. The two apps in question are Flix Vision and Live NetTV. Users have started complaining on social media that the pair no longer work, suggesting Amazon may have blocked them. It's not clear why at this stage. AFTVNews suggests that the block may have come about due to concerns over alleged malware hiding on the apps. Amazon has been approached by The Sun for comment. The tech giant has been increasingly accused of not doing enough to prevent illegal streaming. Earlier this year, broadcasting firm Sky hit out at Amazon for not doing enough to tackle piracy, saying that the problem is costing the industry "hundreds of millions of dollars". 'If you speak to friends and colleagues, [or] you watch football, people will know that you can get jail-broken Fire Sticks, and you can access pirated services on Fire Sticks,' Nick Herm, chief operating officer at Sky said in March. Herm accused Amazon in particular of not doing "enough engagement to address some of those problems, where people are buying these devices in bulk". He also believes that modified Fire Sticks "probably" make up "about half of the piracy" in the UK. Amazon has previously said that it is "committed to providing customers with a high-quality streaming experience while actively promoting a streaming landscape that respects intellectual property rights and encourages the responsible consumption of content".
