Sky Sends Cease-and-Desist Letters to About 200 Alleged Illegal Stream Users in Ireland

Sky issued about 200 cease-and-desist letters to people in the Republic of Ireland suspected of accessing its content through unauthorized streams. The company obtained the recipients' names and addresses after securing a court order that required Revolut to release customer details connected to payments made to an illegal supplier in County Wexford.

A spokesperson told BBC News NI that the broadcaster is prepared to take legal action if the recipients do not engage.

Background on enforcement Until recently, enforcement actions by rights holders had focused on suppliers of devices used for illegal streams rather than individual users. Sky's recent letters represent the first time the company has directly contacted suspected users in their homes.

Anti-piracy group FACT said more than 1,000 people in the UK received similar letters in late 2025 after being identified through criminal investigations.

Legal considerations Owning a device modified to access unauthorized streams is not illegal in the UK. Individuals who access or facilitate such material can face criminal prosecution, fines, or civil claims from rights holders. A lecturer in intellectual property and information law at the University of Glasgow noted that identifying a person through payment records does not automatically prove they streamed copyrighted content.

Reasons cited for use A media analyst stated that rising subscription costs for multiple sports packages have led some viewers to seek cheaper alternatives. A resident of County Antrim said the perceived risk of using illegal streams can appear lower than the cost of purchasing several separate subscriptions.