HN Reader

> but the real issue appears to have been the apps’ use of resource-monetization services that grant cybercriminals access to devices and residential IPs for malicious activity.

So the apps are malware that function as residential proxies.

Way to bury the lede.

Good. Think of the media industry. If those people weren't able to do their work for millions they'd be doing it for tens on street corners.

I keep my old laptops mainly for use as tv boxes.

Even for a 5 year old laptop, my current tv laptop has much more power than a fire stick and I can run whatever I like.

Is there any non-tabloid source for any of this?

Welp! There goes stremio

So what’s the alternative android stick that users will soon be purchasing instead?

Fortunately when it comes to the $20-30 TV devices there are plenty of options that can be made mostly bloat free that you can install anything you want on.

> Flix Vision has been shown to use resource monetizing services that pay app developers in exchange for using the device CPU and network traffic while their app is running. Live NetTV has been criticized for doing the same. These kinds of proxy monetization services have been classified as Riskware and accused of giving cybercriminals access to devices and residential IPs for malicious operations.

> It seems far more likely that Amazon targeted and disabled these two apps because they functioned as residential proxy providers, rather than due to any role in facilitating unauthorized access to copyrighted content. For over a decade, Amazon has shown through inaction that it is unwilling to combat piracy outside of its appstore by endlessly disabling third-party piracy apps. However, the possibility of a network of unknowingly compromised Fire TV devices being used as gateways for cybercrimes appears to have been sufficient motivation for Amazon to take action and block the apps.

Sigh. Yeah no. This is a good thing. I'm sure they're not worried about stuff like Jellyfin or SmartTubeTV.

[dupe] Fire TV: Amazon to block piracy apps in the future

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45774284

Only source is the Sun and there has been no official response from Amazon?

I'll wait till this can be confirmed before deciding what to think of it.

This year piracy apps, next year Plex/Jellyfin? Or will they call those piracy apps already?