Amazon's Fire TV Sticks are no doubt one of the most increasingly popular ways to stream live TV and movies, with the option of loading apps like Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ on them which sometimes work out cheaper than your typical Sky and Virgin packages.
But the stick also gives users the option at present to side-load unofficial apps which aren't usually found on Amazon's store - opening up a world of additional content for device owners to access.
However, much of this isn't exactly legal to watch - and could find downloaders in hot water for breaching copyright laws and legislation.
Read more: Warning as Amazon Fire Stick block may force you to buy a new remote
The Express reports with some owners clearly using their Fire devices for illegal streaming, it seems Amazon is hoping to begin cracking down on this practice via a new warning message. As spotted by the team at AFTnews, it appears that when an app is now side-loaded a warning pops up that alerts users to the dangers of adding unofficial software to their devices.
A screenshot posted by AFTnews shows the message which reads, "WARNING: When you use applications from unknown sources, your TV and personal data are less secure and there is a risk of unexpected behavior. You agree that you are solely responsible for any damage to your device or loss of data that may result from using these applications."
It's worth noting that Amazon isn't stopping access to unofficial apps, but the alert should be taken seriously as streaming content without permission can have consequences. It was recently announced that the UK police had begun knocking on the doors of 1,000 residents to warn them about watching premium shows and movies without paying.
Using non-official platforms comes with other dangers such as data-stealing malware and displaying inappropriate content. Recent research, which analysed 50 popular illegal streaming sites, found that all contained malicious content, while over 40 percent of them did not have a security certificate which means they probably aren't safe to visit.
The warning is unlikely to stop people from side-loading but it might make them double-check exactly what is being added to the device before hitting the install button. And this message isn't the only change taking place on Fire Sticks.
A recent update has also stopped some users from being able to change the buttons of their remotes. Those wanting to tweak what each button does, have been able to make changes thanks to a neat Remapper app which offers the ability to switch things to suit your viewing tastes.
An upgrade pushed out to the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is now blocking the functionality of the Remapper which means it no longer works. In a post on AFTnews, its creator Elias Saba explained: "Amazon has pushed out a software update to select Fire TV devices that prevents customers from remapping the app shortcut buttons at the bottom of Fire TV remotes."
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