Looking to block or at least limit the sale of rogue set-top boxes, a commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission sent a letter to the heads of both eBay Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. asking the e-commerce giants to remove any listings for these illegal devices from their platforms.
In a May 25 letter addressed to Amazon Chairman and CEO Jeff Bezos and eBay President and CEO Devin Wenig, FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly said the agency had received complaints about nine set-top box distributors that were enabling users to illegally stream copyrighted content. Without mentioning any specific brands, he said seven of these distributors offered boxes that featured false FCC logos. Normally, these logos are affixed to electronic products that have been authorized by the commission.
"While the Commission has obligations on our end to prevent unauthorized set-top boxes from being available no matter their use, I seek your partnership in helping to remove these illegal products from the stream of commerce," O'Rielly said
Though copyright infringement is not within the purview of the FCC, O'Rielly said he found it "troubling that many of these devices are being used to stream copyrighted content illegally, exacerbating the theft of billions of dollars in American innovation and creativity."
While noting that both Amazon and eBay have already taken "proactive steps" to remove listings for devices that are marketed as facilitating piracy, he asked the companies to also eliminate listings for non-FCC compliant devices or devices that bear a fake FCC logo.
"If your company is made aware by the commission, with supporting evidence, that a particular device is using a fraudulent FCC label ... I respectfully request that you commit to swiftly removing these products from your sites," O'Rielly said.
Amazon, along with fellow subscription video service Netflix Inc., has launched their own legal battles against companies that sell devices aimed at enabling piracy. In particular, in January, Amazon, Netflix and several movie studios filed a lawsuit against Dragon Media Inc., maker of the Dragon Box. The suit alleges that Dragon Media urges consumers to use the Dragon Box "as a tool for the mass infringement" of copyrighted motion pictures and television shows. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, a scheduling conference is set in the case for June 11 before Judge Michael Fitzgerald.
