MPPA wants to have ‘fully-loaded Kodi boxes’ banned

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has been lobbying members of the US Congress about the increased popularity of so-called “fully-loaded Kodi boxes,” in an attempt to have them banned.

A recent report revealed that around 70 percent of Kodi’s estimated 38 million users are taking advantage of third-party add-ons, which come pre-installed on the fully-loaded systems, to access copyrighted content, including unreleased movies.

Most of the lobbying takes place behind closed doors, as pointed out by Torrent Freak, but the MPAA’s latest disclosure report provides some insight into what’s going on; it’s petitioning for restrictions on pre-loaded and set-top boxes.

That’s about all that’s detailed; however, Neil Fried, MPAA Senior VP of Government and Regulatory Affairs, revealed last week that the association wants to make it more difficult to purchase systems that offer access to pirated material.

At the moment, it couldn’t be easier to purchase an Android TV that’s pre-loaded with both legal Kodi software and illegal pirate add-ons; they’re listed on a host of online marketplaces, including Amazon and eBay, for around £60.

Banning the sale of “fully-loaded boxes” would only temporarily curb the issue. Piracy is an attractive force – those wanting to access the material would likely find a way to install Kodi and the required plugins themselves.