Let's talk the risks of digital piracy with Internet Matters - £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

When you can’t access the TV shows or films you’d like to watch it can be tempting to illegally stream them online - but doing so could introduce your family to a dark corner of the web involving viruses, disturbing pop-ups and unexpected pornographic content. Though Digital online piracy is often recognised through dodgy websites and Kodi boxes, it can also occur through any number of apps on mobiles or tablets. Internet Matters would like to hear your thoughts on digital piracy and the associated risks for your children, and how you would speak to your children about digital piracy.

Here’s what Carolyn Bunting, CEO of Internet Matters has to say: “We’re concerned that millions of parents don’t realise the amount of inappropriate, even pornographic, content children can find or stumble upon unexpectedly when watching TV and video content that is streamed illegally online. This issue has been growing for some time and we want to try and address the problem and highlight the risks parents are unknowingly taking when their children use open source media players, like Kodi boxes, to stream content illegally.”

Perhaps you’re completely in the dark about digital piracy? Perhaps you think the risks are worth it? Are you concerned about your child accidentally or even intentionally accessing illegal or even inappropriate content while watching cartoons, kids shows and films through open source media players? We’re interested in getting your thoughts about digital piracy and any tips you have for other parents speaking to their children about it so that they understand the risks.

All who post below will be entered into a prize draw where one Mumsnetter will win a £300 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

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To be honest I haven't even thought of my kids accessing pirated films online, and perhaps inappropriate content. My kids will watch the bbc kids iplayer app and sometimes youtube, but otherwise everything else we watch is on the tv, on DVD, or in the cinema. I try to restrict screen time anyway, but I am aware that this will become more of a problem when they get older.

Our school does teach online safety but unfortunately there isn't time to cover every area and it is a parent's responsibilty. Piracy is such a common thing that people forget that it's actually illegal - that is what needs to change, not just worrying about inappropriate pop ups etc.
I'm honest with my DC and when they've mentioned ways of watching something we don't have, I explain the legalities and safety reasons for getting it in a legal way.

it's difficult to warn my kids against digital piracy as I have never really followed the right thing to do when it comes to digital piracy. All I would say to them is that these are the rules, these are the risks, and if you fall afoul of the rules there is nothing I can do to get them out of trouble. Should scare them enough with that alone

He's not old enough to understand it yet but when he is i will make sure he knows the rules and what to look out for. Hopefully the school will educate in this too.

Yes I do, I always accidentally come across stuff when streaming films ! Though I think when the time comes I won't be allowing my son to trawl the internet but allowed on pre approved sites so this will help

It’s not something I know much about at the moment but by the time my little one is online I will ensure I know all about online issues

I was really ignorant about online issues and never thought i would click on something causing a virus...until i had children. My daughter is of an age where all her friends are getting mobile phones and I am really putting it off because i worry about online safety, not only about the apps they can download but also virus's and anyone getting her private info. So we had a good chat about online safety, luckily her school had this as a topic which opened up our conversation and made it so much easier as she had lots of questions which i could answer. As for at home my husband is great with computers and gadgets so he puts on all the privacy settings possible!

The people saying they let their children use YouTube, do you check that the uploader actually had the rights to upload those videos? Because I've watched and listened to hours of content that shouldn't have been on YouTube.

Pretty sure a lot of the peppa pig, paw patrol etc on YouTube isn't there with the copyright owners permission

Just a convo about the wrongs & rights

Education from School and parents. Illegal and harmful to the industry & for computer viruses. Only use well know pay per film view or monthly subscriptions

it's so difficult and I think it's changing every day

Although I have had the conversation and explained that it is illegal and dangerous, I think it would be much better stopped at source. Either sorted so these programmes can be watched safely and legally or/and stop the people that are streaming illegally

Digital piracy is hard to stop, morally it is wrong but I can understand why some do it... I was very angry when I first heard about a man who had died yet when his family tried to access all his music he had bought, they were told by Apple that he wasn't the actual owner and the music could not be passed onto his family, like say a record/cd collection, and In this instance I think they bring it upon themselves!

In regards to films they need to reduce the price of cinema tickets as it is growing out of proportion to people's earnings after outgoings. Make it more accessible for children. the film industry makes a fortune!

So be more reasonable with music ownership and affordable for films and those that do it will hopefully stop!

I regularly sit down and talk with my kids about online safety and what's appropriate/what isn't. I've put lots of parental controls on their games consoles and tablets so they aren't able to access a lot of stuff freely.

Whatever children are doing online needs to be monitored and children taught to make good, sensible choices.

I feel horrifyingly ignorant about this but can see it is an issue which we need to get a lot wiser about.

i think once they are older you should explain the law

Education and knowledge is key in letting your children be safe on the internet. Also engage with your child/children and use the computer together to explore the internet. This provides you opportunities to monitor what your child/children looks at whilst bonding with them as well.

DH and I are the only ones old enough to use a kodi box in our house so far but we have been caught out by autoplay on You Tube! I agree with others that tv companies and distributors need to streamline the rights. I think Netflix is fantastic value and I can usually find something to watch there.

I block all internet access, probably wont work as they get older though.

I've not put any thought into it. My daughter watches things through youtube and netflix only, she doesn't use dodgy streaming sites or anything like that so i've never been concerned. I'm pretty tech savvy so if I needed to, i'd setup content filters but right now I'm not worried.

They do a lot of work nowadays in school regarding safety online. Most kids know what to do however, often they choose not to follow the advice. I think at home the message of keeping your private information private needs to be reiterated and younger children accessing the internet need to be monitored. They also need to know what to do if they see or find something that makes them feel uncomfortable. Again, this is taught in schools now but it still needs to be followed at home as well.

I know my teenage son knows where to watch films that are not yet in the cinema or shows that are not yet on television. We have discussed piracy and what it means. However, with the cost of cinema tickets these days, I can understand the temptation.

My teenage son is educated at school, and is studying various computer based subjects for GCSE, but there are so many dangers on the internet. It would be much better if there were more restrictions on films being uploaded in the first place, rather than children trawling the net and picking up numerous viruses on their laptops. Oscar hopefuls are, apparently, easy to come . In fact, the bigger the film, and the more hype surrounding it, the quicker it's uploaded.

But better regulation of what is out there is needed - if ordinary teenagers with no especial computer knowledge can watch the latest Oscar winners, then it is really not just down to parents to deal with this, and there should be a crackdown by the industry, although I don't claim to have all the answers.

I try to keep on top of what they are watching but I know sometimes that I am not always on it. I encourage my children to be open and honest and ask questions. I mainly worry about what they might come across on youtube. They are not quite old enough to access anything else.

My children are adults now and they would be able to teach me more about the subject than I could teach them