Satellite decoding ‘new threat’ to national online safety

AMMAN – Decoding satellite channels and technological fraud are the main challenges the National Library Department (NLD) is dealing with today, an informed official said on Tuesday. 

While pirated CDs and DVDs used to be the main challenges facing the Jordanian market, the increase in the number of smartphones has prompted people to rely on the Internet for download purposes, according to NLD Director General Mohammad Abbadi. 

“Supplying paid satellite channel feeds, technological fraud and the pirating of books are the main issues we are dealing with today,” he told The Jordan Times. 

Since the start of this year and until the beginning of May, the NLD has referred 92 cases to court for violating intellectual property rights and has confiscated 5,582 pirated items, including DVDs, CDs, books and satellite channel decoding devices. 

“These devices are installed inside regular satellite receivers to provide pirated access to satellite premium packages without subscriptions. Traders export these tools separately, thus the customs personnel do not recognise their function,” said Abbadi. 

He noted that citizens pay around JD50 to get the device and then have to pay every one to two months approximately the same amount to maintain the decoded channels. 

“Citizens should be aware that they are being exploited in this process and that it would be cheaper to seek the original satellite provider servers,” the NLD official highlighted. 

The Jordanian Copyright Law stipulated that it is a crime to download software, music or movies that are protected by legislation. 

Offenders face a prison sentence between three months and three years and a fine ranging from JD1,000 to JD6,000. 

“Jordan is at the forefront regionally when it comes to law enforcement in this area,” Abbadi said. 

Last year, more than 317 cases were referred to the courts for intellectual property right infringements, according to the NLD.