Is IPTV Technology Legal in the United States?

IPTV is a technology, not a crime

Internet Protocol Television simply means television sent over an internet connection instead of a cable or satellite signal. YouTube TV, Sling, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream and the apps of every cable company are IPTV.

What the Protecting Lawful Streaming Act says

Congress passed the act as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act on December 27, 2020. It makes it a felony to willfully, and for commercial advantage or private financial gain, offer a digital transmission service that is primarily designed or promoted to stream copyrighted works without authorization. The penalties are:

• up to 3 years in prison and a fine;
• up to 5 years when the works were being prepared for commercial public performance;
• up to 10 years for a second or later offense.

What it means for viewers

The act aims at operators. Viewers are not the target of the criminal law, but they are not risk-free: copyright owners can bring civil claims, payment details shared with unlicensed sellers can be misused, and when the industry group ACE or law enforcement shuts a service down, prepaid plans vanish with it.

How to judge any provider, including us

1. Ask which rights or carriage agreements it holds for the channels it sells.
2. Look for a named company, an address and published terms.
3. Prefer short plans and payment methods that allow chargebacks.
4. Avoid any seller that refuses refunds outright.

We publish our company details as they are filed, keep plans to 12 months at most and offer a 14-day refund. This guide is general information, not legal advice; read the statute linked below and decide for yourself.

Read next

• Choosing the right plan
• How to get local channels without cable