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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sick of apps aimed at children having adult content and adverts popping up which arent suitable.

when the time comes we will monitor what is viewed at home and just hope by the time of an age where you can't have as much control that we have got the message over.

No sugar coating it and I put it into terms they would understand depending on their age but when they do their homework they would be upset if someone took it and used it so piracy is simply the same in taking something that belongs to someone else.
Then explaining to the older child that you need to pay for things you want whether a Cd or film and piracy is no different than walking into a supermarket and stealing it off the shelf.
But schools should back this up especially with them now openly encouraging the use of phones, iPad and laptops in class.

i have children aged 4, 17 and 18 and find it increasingly harder as my children have grown up to monitor their activity online. The older 2 have grown up in the digital era and know more than me , which is the scary part.

It's nothing something I have discussed with my son yet as it hasn't yet been an issue, but it's interesting to read this thread & see what others have come up with.
I do think it's quite scary that children can be exposed to inappropriate materials in this way - but I find that even when you are doing things the 'right' way - i.e using Amazon Fire TV Stick - images for 18+ series will appear in a thumbnail.
I have a PIN code on there - but this doesn't stop these images appearing in the menu. My son hasn't picked up on this yet, but I'm sure he will before too long & it annoys me as I don't want him exposed to anything like that at his age. There is enough unpleasantness in the world.
We have Kindle Kids subscription which is great as nothing else gets through & I'm comfortable knowing he's not exposed to anything unsuitable.
When he has watched YouTube - he does so through the kids app - but I'm wary of this & still look over his shoulder as worry about ads, etc.
In reality, they are going to see inappropriate stuff at one time or another - accidentally at home, through a friend at school, older siblings.. but I'll do anything I can to prevent that from happening & when he's older - I will have a discussion with this & encourage him to tell me about anything he has seen which has worried or confused him.

An open discussion about the risks and morality.
Showing them them the video from what we had on VHS.. "you wouldnt steal a handbag... etc etc" :)

I think with the restrictions that various tv networks place on broadcasters it is only natural that people seek other ways of watching programmes that they wish to watch, for example on the US netflix there is so much more than the UK site, which is unfair given there is no reflection in the price. I do tell my son that online streaming should only be done via reputable sites such as Netflix, BBC, and so on and that accessing anything else is opening a can of worms and can lead to the computer slowing down and give a gateway to hackers and fraudsters, generally he is pretty good at asking me first is something is okay to access.

i limit my sons access to tech, i want him to do other stuff than surf facebook all day. hes abit of a hippy child so he doesn't use internet much so im not concerned

I am pretty blinkered about freely available porn through sites / apps for accessing pirated content. This has certainly been an education for me. We even use free sat instead of free view in large part because of the lack of adult channel listings in the high numbers end of the channels.

From very young I've talked about the dangers that are out tgere and how to safe guard themselves and tried to be as open as possible about talking about any subject particularly if you feel you can't. It's a real minefield but so far I know it's working in helping them. I'm not niave enough to think this will always help them. Sadly school/peer views and chat may arouse curiosity.

I would t know the first place to start when it comes to piracy and finding these things to watch. Maybe if cinema was not so expensive people would not be so tempted? It’s probably gone in too long to tackle now I would imagine

It really is not worth it as imo it always equates to low quality, then spoils any potential enjoyment. Everything is readily available these days at what I would consider a reasonable cost. Ok the cinema can be pricey, however you can always find some kind of offer or voucher code. There really in no excuse.

It starts with you as parents. If you are open, frank and not secretive then there is a good chance your children will behave in the same way. We have open doors, no locked doors. If the loo or bathroom door is shut then someone is in there otherwise we all move around the house freely. We have never spied on the kids but been watchful, curious and engaging. Questions like 'who are you chatting to?' or 'what are you watching?' are then not confrontational just conversational. If you have secrets from your spouse then expect the same from your children. We had one incident when our boy was 10, we saw him going really close to a webcam with his mouth open, apparently some pervert had messaged him on a platform for kids and asked him to show him the back of his throat, thinking nothing of it he did. His bedroom door was open and more importantly so was he. We don't have passwords on screens in the house, we don't search through each others private stuff either, the fact it is open means we have nothing to hide.

We used to stream movies through Kodi and download them from torrents but I was never 100% comfortable with it and I think now with Netflix and Spotify there is no need to do it anymore. I think there should be more discussions about the morals and ethics about illegal piracy as if we all just download things without paying for them then the people behind them will stop making them and we will all lose out.

Make it part of the curriculum. Explain the consequences. Too many kids think it's just unfair that they can't stream stuff but make them understand why it's important.

I cant say i have not watched pirate movies//tv shows but i do believe that if they want people to stop doing it, the price need to come down i have discussed this with my daughter, to be honest we prefer to watch new movies when they come out in the cinema if we miss it we just go out and buy the dvd when it comes out. im not particuarly a fan of watching movies on the computer or laptop, thats what my tv is for ;) . i think they need to be educated about this at schools as well

I think educating children on this is really important. My kids are allowed access to the internet but only certain sites, I always warn them how dangerous it can be do go to sites that they don't know or sites that they hear of in school.

There should be more education for both children and adults about this and how to recognise and report it. I don't think there is enough of this at 5 he moment

I am concerned that my kids might inadvertently (or otherwise!) come across content that I would not want them to see. They are far more tech-savvy than I am.

My teens were definitely in a peak period for digital piracy and the way I will explain it to my child is yes you may get to watch the hottest film right now but what does that matter several years from now? No one will care but the law does. If caught it can follow you throughout your life and affect your future.

The same can be said for accessing the material. You don't know how safe the sites are. You could end up with viruses etc and even identity theft which again can affect you long term. There is no need to risk it.

think of the consequences not just fo rthe likes of Tom Cruise etc, but the make up girl, and the set designers etc. Think of the little person, and your consciousnce

It is a concern for me, especially when they're using YouTube and start slicking through to different videos and suddenly end up watching something that's not quite age appropriate. I think it's going to be an even bigger concern when they are older.

My daughter is 8 so this isn't really a discussion we have had as she only knows how to access the apps or channels I have made available to her. When she starts to show an interest in other channels or gets her own computer I will discuss this as I feel it is scary what an innocent child can access.

I have never heard of a Kodi box! I think both us parents and kids need educating. THings move so fast it is hard to keep up with what we need to be aware of.

We try to chat openly with our kids about internet issues but if there are things out there that we are not even aware of it makes it harder to chat about it.

In the eyes of a child that wants to watch a certain programme, they are not doing anything illegal by using an App. They see it as problem solving. Why are there Apps that allow this if it shouldn't be done?!

I agree with the poster upthread stating that TV rights across regions should be better managed. If I can watch TV and movies legally I am going to do that over entering the darkweb and trying to find content.

It is not just a school issue, this is much wider.