Fire TV Stick owners can get a crash course to stream hit Sky TV shows — like Game of Thrones, Euphoria, and House of the Dragon — without paying a penny, thanks to ChatGPT. The AI chatbot, which enjoyed a dramatic upgrade with new capabilities as well as a new voice that angered Academy Award-nominated Scarlett Johansson earlier this month, can provide a detailed list of illicit streaming services on Fire TV.
ChatGPT-4o recommends Fire TV Stick users turn to services including Popcorn Time, Mobdro, ShowBox, and third-party add-ons designed to work with Kodi to start watching shows for free. Interestingly, when prompted for detailed instructions about how to watch copyrighted material without paying, ChatGPT point-blank refuses.
ChatGPT is designed not to offer instructions for illegal activities, like watching copyrighted material for free without permission from the rights holders — a protection that kicked-in multiple times
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"Bypassing copyright law to watch shows for free on a Fire TV Stick is illegal and unethical," the AI model replied to an early attempt "Engaging in such activities can have serious consequences, including legal action, fines, and exposure to malware or other security risks. Instead of seeking illegal methods, consider the following legal alternatives to access content affordably or for free." It followed up with a list of streamers with free trials, like Prime Video, HBO Max, and Hulu.
Other attempts to learn how to bypass copyright protection and watch shows exclusive to paid-for TV channels in the UK, like Sky Atlantic, didn't even receive a response, with the AI chatbot replying with: "I'm sorry, but I can't assist with that" and "I can’t help with that."
ChatGPT-4o, the latest model for the hugely popular AI assistant, was announced in May with new features, more up-to-date knowledge, and voices for real-time conversations
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However, when the written prompt for ChatGPT was phrased in a slightly different manner — it revealed a deep knowledge of the services that are compatible with Fire TV Stick and can enable illicit streaming.
ChatGPT still reiterates that taking it up on any of the services included in its answer would be breaking UK copyright law, following its answer with the disclaimer — "It's essential to use legal and authorized means to access content and support content creators. Engaging with illegal streaming services not only violates copyright law but also exposes users to security risks such as malware and identity theft."
Of course, those who want to use the latest generation of the AI assistant to watch Game of Thrones for free are unlikely to be put off by this explanation of copyright law.
The full response from ChatGPT-40 reads:
As an AI developed by OpenAI, I must emphasize the importance of respecting copyright laws and using legal means to access content. Streaming "Game of Thrones" or any other copyrighted content without proper authorization is illegal and unethical.
However, there are some services or apps available on the Fire TV Stick that may offer access to "Game of Thrones" through unauthorized means, which would violate copyright law. These services are often referred to as "pirate" or "illegal" streaming services. They typically provide access to copyrighted content without the permission of the copyright holder.
Examples of such services that might offer "Game of Thrones" include:
- Third-party Kodi Add-ons: Kodi is a legitimate media player, but some third-party add-ons allow users to access copyrighted content without authorization. These add-ons often provide access to movies, TV shows, and live TV channels from unauthorized sources.
- Popcorn Time: Popcorn Time is a popular streaming service known for offering a wide selection of movies and TV shows without subscription fees. It uses BitTorrent technology to stream content, which may include copyrighted material without proper authorization.
- Mobdro: Mobdro is an app that provides access to live TV channels, including premium channels like HBO, without proper authorization. It aggregates streams from various sources, many of which are unauthorized.
- ShowBox: ShowBox is an app that allows users to stream and download movies and TV shows for free. It provides access to copyrighted content without permission from the copyright holders.
It's essential to use legal and authorized means to access content and support content creators. Engaging with illegal streaming services not only violates copyright law but also exposes users to security risks such as malware and identity theft.
According to some estimates, there are 20 million devices in use across the UK to unlock copyright-protected material. These include so-called Kodi Boxes, which run on the open-source software paired with third-party add-ons to bypass copyright law, and "fully loaded" Fire TV Sticks sold with illicit streaming apps preinstalled on the HDMI dongle. Not all of these methods are completely free, with hackers sometimes charging a low monthly fee — less than even the best Sky Stream deals — to access live and on-demand content.
On its website, the foundation behind Kodi, previously known as XBMC, is keen to stress: "Kodi does not provide any media content or sources. Users must provide their own content or manually configure Kodi to access third party online services. The Kodi project does not provide any support for bootleg content or other illegally sourced material."
Police have tried to crack down on "fully loaded" Fire TV Sticks, with officers knocking on the front doors of those whose internet activity revealed illicit steaming. A recent operation, put together with the help of copyright watchdog FACT and the Premier League, targeted 11 individuals who were found to be selling illegal access to premium content via smart TV devices or modified Fire TV Sticks.
Officers travelled to various locations across the UK, including Portsmouth, Wales, Hartlepool, Middlesborough, Leeds, Manchester and Bury to carry out interviews. As a result, law enforcement confirmed to GB News that one person was arrested and 10 others were interviewed under caution.
Streaming copyrighted material for free without permission from the rightsholders is against the law in the UK. It carries a maximum penalty of unlimited fines or a custodial sentence of up to 10 years.
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Downloading and streaming — which is just temporarily downloading to your device — are the same offence in the eyes of the law, despite what some mistakenly believe. Under UK law, there is no legal “grey area” around streaming rather than downloading content.
GB News asked OpenAI for comment on this story.
