EDMONTON, AB, March 3, 2021 /CNW/ – According to SuperChannel parent company, Allarco Entertainment, an application has been filed for an injunction with the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta to stop illegal set top boxes being sold at major Canadian retailers. The company claims most of these devices are manufactured in China and enabling Canadian piracy of theirs and other network content. The retailers named in the injunction are Staples, Best Buy, London Drugs and Canada Computers.
During its own internal investigation, Super Channel discovered that many of these pirate devices are pre-loaded with malware that can access consumers’ home networks and private data without their knowledge.
They have asked the court to order four Canadian retailers to immediately stop selling set-top boxes that are designed to illegally pirate television programming — including Super Channel’s. A new advocacy group called “Change The Culture” appears to be setup on their effort to curb the sales.
In filing the suit, Super Channel published videotape evidence of retailers counselling customers on how to use the set-top boxes to illegally pirate television programming. On their advocacy website you can view a video of the alleged sales where the retailer appeared to shop with a hidden camera at various locations named in the injunction.
“It shouldn’t be the business of one Canadian business to hurt another Canadian business. We would never tolerate a retailer openly selling a device to help someone defeat security surveillance and shoplift. But that’s exactly what’s happening, and we’re asking the court to put an immediate stop to it.”
Don McDonald, President and CEO of Super Channel
McDonald added, “This is not a victimless crime. Piracy hurts the Canadian television industry and costs Canadian jobs.
“These boxes are really digital-theft devices, and what they’re stealing is data about you and your family,” says Dr. Eric Cole, an expert on cyber security who consulted on the lawsuit.
“People are putting themselves at real risk, and they don’t even know it,” says McDonald. “We hope to get the word out to people through this lawsuit, and by asking for this injunction.”
A previous lawsuit filed by Allarco Entertainment in September of 2019 is yet unresolved where they promised to provide the evidence. In that lawsuit they intended to “set out the extensive evidence gathered, including undercover surveillance, will soon be filed.”
