Pirates will face fight
JENNIFER DUDLEY- NICHOLSON SOCIAL media’s piracy police will be out in force tomorrow, patrolling for signs of illegal streams in the much-anticipated bout between Brisbane boxer Jeff Horn and American challenger Terence Crawford.
While offenders risk fines of $60,000 or five years’ prison for streaming the Las Vegas match in Australia, tech giants and pay-per-view provider Foxtel will employ state-of- court and Brothers Leagues Club at Manunda.
The World Boxing Organisation welterweight title fight between Horn and Crawford is set to kick off from 12.30pm (AEST) tomorrow.
The match will determine whether Brisbane’s Horn will retain the title after winning it in a highly anticipated bout against former world champion Manny Pacquiao last year. the-art technology and “worldleading surveillance” to track unsanctioned broadcasts and shut down piracy attempts.
Two Australian men previously apologised for illegally broadcasting the Anthony Mundine v Danny Green fight online to avoid prosecution, but it’s understood tracking technology has since improved so no unlawful streams last “more than a round,” and copyright holders are willing to prosecute offenders.
The biggest drawcard for boxing so far this year will begin at 10am tomorrow and is expected to be broadcast at pubs across Australia and through Foxtel’s Main Event channel for a $49.95 fee.
But social networks and TV providers are preparing for their own fight against anyone who attempts to illegally broadcast the event, with more sophisticated technology at their disposal.
Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany urged Australians to consider who would be hurt by piracy before they broke the law.
“Foxtel will have in place world-leading surveillance technology to monitor for illegal streaming and file sharing of its Main Event pay-forview channel broadcast of the Jeff Horn-Terence Crawford world title fight this Sunday,” Mr Delany said.
“We will act if we discover piracy, but I would urge any people inclined to do this to think hard about who they are really hurting with their actions.
“It’s not just Foxtel but, more importantly, it’s people like Jeff Horn.”
While a Brisbane man pre- viously attracted an audience of more than 150,000 viewers to his illegal broadcast of the Mundine v Green boxing match, a Facebook spokesman said the social network now employed a tool called Rights Manager to shut down unlawful streams.
A Twitter spokesman said the company would also quickly remove “content alleged to be infringing” copyright tomorrow, and employed editors to monitor Periscope video streams across its network.