The most significant piracy ecosystem threat today comes from an open software platform that operates under the Kodi brand. Kodi is a completely legal initiative and can be installed on various devices to deliver a unified experience, similar to Chromecast or Apple TV, but without the restrictions imposed by those systems. Unsurprisingly, the ease-of-use and popularity of Kodi boxes translate to Kodi accounting for 95% of the illegal live consumption in North America. 

It’s also possible to subscribe to M3U playlists, which direct Kodi-enabled devices to pirate IPTV sites. These playlists can be found through search engines, which can also be used to find instructions on how to download and use Kodi software to access pirated content. A simple Google search turns up articles with headlines like “Which is the best website for watching free live sports online?” and “How to Install TV Portal Kodi.” A study of online sports piracy ecosystem in Spain found that 78% of access to pirated content occurs through the use of search engines.