Enforcement Campaign and SmoothStreams Takedown
This enforcement campaign, involving years of investigation and coordination with Canadian authorities, culminated in building a case against the alleged operators of SmoothStreams. This marks a significant victory for the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) in its ongoing global crackdown on streaming piracy services.
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However, for SmoothStreams’ dedicated user base, this action eliminates a major access point for affordable live sports, movies, and TV shows. The takedown underscores the increasing legal risks faced by consumers accessing unlicensed streaming content and services.
The Rise and Fall of SmoothStreams IPTV
Founded in 2014, SmoothStreams capitalized on the growing interest in live TV delivered via the internet. At its peak, the service offered an extensive lineup of over 2,800 high-definition channels, covering sports, news, movies, and popular cable networks.
Compared to authorized virtual TV providers, SmoothStreams offered lower pricing while providing a broader content selection. Accounts reportedly started at just $10 per month, a fraction of the cost of licensed alternatives.
This attractive value proposition garnered thousands of devoted subscribers. However, SmoothStreams failed to properly license content from owners and broadcasters, thereby violating copyright protections.
According to TorrentFreak, SmoothStreams and affiliated sites, including Live247.tv and StreamTVNow.tv, have been permanently shut down. The service’s social media accounts and messaging channels have been silent since July 2022.
SmoothStreams and other gray-market IPTV providers promised users unlimited on-demand shows, premium sports packages, and expanded channel lineups. However, these services operated on legally precarious grounds by sourcing unlicensed streams. As rights holders assert their claims, these services struggle to survive.
ACE Targets SmoothStreams in Latest Enforcement Action
The downfall of SmoothStreams follows legal action pursued by ACE, a coalition of prominent entertainment companies and associations. ACE’s members include industry giants like Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Paramount, the Motion Picture Association, and major sports leagues. Formed in 2017, ACE coordinates legal and technological actions against large-scale piracy operations.
The group collaborates with law enforcement agencies worldwide to implement website blocking, shutdowns, seizures, arrests, and other anti-piracy measures. Major successes include:
- Leading takedowns of piracy sites like 123movies, YTS, and Fmovies, with millions of monthly visitors.
- Targeting unauthorized sports streaming on Twitch and European services.
- Forcing the shutdowns of IPTV providers like Nitro TV and Gears TV in North America.
- Compelling major CDNs and hosting providers to drop support for infringing sites.
- Promoting site blocking by ISPs and discovery blocking by search engines.
- Disrupting infrastructure and ad revenue used by pirate services.
For ACE members and media partners, SmoothStreams represented an IPTV operation profiting from unlicensed content. After years of tracking the service, ACE moved to shut it down permanently.
Legal and Technological Actions to Close SmoothStreams
ACE partnered with a coalition of Canadian media companies to build a legal case against SmoothStreams over its four years of operation. Extensive monitoring traced the illegal distribution of content back to the service.
In June 2022, the coalition filed legal statements naming two Ontario residents, Marshall and Antonio Macciacchera, as the controllers of SmoothStreams. Forensic investigations uncovered various SmoothStreams domains registered to the pair, including smoothstreams.tv, live247.tv, streamtvnow.tv, and starstreams.tv.
The ACE-led plaintiffs presented evidence that the defendants were unlawfully capturing and redistributing copyrighted material through SmoothStreams. Financial records revealed the service generated substantial subscription revenues during this period.
Early enforcement efforts did not completely halt SmoothStreams. Officials raided and seized streaming equipment at two Canadian locations tied to the service. However, some streams continued even after this initial hardware seizure.
The sustained legal campaign eventually satisfied requirements for an injunction against the SmoothStreams operators. This court order compelled Marshall and Antonio Macciacchera to permanently cease operations under legal threat. Left with no means to access or distribute content, SmoothStreams had no option but to shut down, cutting off access to all its users.
Industry Progress and User Reactions
For streamers who relied on SmoothStreams for its affordability, breadth, and accessibility, the shutdown is a major disruption. However, entertainment industry associations view it as a crucial step toward fair digital markets.
“Services like SmoothStreams harm consumers by offering pirated materials and harm creators by denying them fair compensation,” said Motion Picture Association CEO Charles Rivkin. “This enforcement action demonstrates our commitment to protecting creativity and fostering lawful digital growth.”
Some former SmoothStreams subscribers feel their viewing options are being unfairly constrained. “Streaming was finally at a place where we could get all the sports and shows we wanted without expensive cable TV,” an anonymous Reddit commenter wrote. “Now we’re being driven back to fragmented, overpriced services just so media giants can squeeze out more profits.”
This divide between media access and ownership continues to drive conflicts as home and mobile entertainment become increasingly global and digital. The outcomes of these conflicts will impact worldwide streaming developments for years to come.
Navigating the Evolving Streaming Landscape Post-SmoothStreams
In place of unauthorized services like SmoothStreams, consumers still have multiple options for accessing top movies, shows, and sports legally:
- All-in-one skinny bundle services: YouTube TV, Hulu Live, fuboTV, and Sling TV offer popular sports and entertainment for $40-70 per month. While limited compared to SmoothStreams, their channel lineups capture most essentials for many viewers.
- Sports subscriptions: NFL Sunday Ticket, NBA League Pass, and MLB.TV provide access to live games outside local broadcasts and home teams, with prices ranging from $100-300 per season.
- On-demand platforms: Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and Peacock continue to expand their content libraries with big-name originals, nostalgic classics, and current hit shows. Plans start around $5-10 per month.
- Free, ad-supported services: Pluto TV, Tubi, and Freevee showcase movies, TV series, and some live content without subscriptions.
- Transactional platforms: Renting and purchasing movies or shows à la carte through iTunes, Prime Video, Google Play, and Vudu offers pay-per-title access.
- Using an antenna: This provides access to network broadcast stations and local programming.
While skinny bundles have room for improvement, their core offerings continue to attract millions of subscribers abandoning traditional IPTV. Sports leagues are also pursuing direct-to-consumer access through official packages.
On the illegal side, the demise of SmoothStreams has not eliminated piracy utilities like Kodi and its many add-ons. However, sustaining large-scale rogue streaming services long-term appears increasingly difficult amid legal actions.
Former SmoothStreams users have the opportunity to evaluate alternatives for their viewing habits on both licensed and unlicensed fronts. Striking the right balance will remain an evolving, individualized decision.
