After targeting "Game of Thrones" Season 6 download and streaming links on file-sharing sites like The Pirate Bay and KickassTorrents, show producer HBO is setting its sights on YouTube channels that provide forecasts on upcoming GoT episodes. The latest move suggests that HBO is bent on suppressing the leaks not only of free GoT copies on the web but also of show spoilers.
In the past days, HBO sent out torrents of takedown requests to TPB, KAT and other free download and streaming sources in hopes of minimizing if not eliminating altogether unauthorized access to Episode 3 (Oathbreaker) and other previous episodes of Game of Thrones Season 6. The campaign seems to be gaining traction as KickassTorrents and other similar sites responded positively to the DMCA requests from HBO.
But the GoT producer is reportedly planning too to stop the flood of Game of Thrones spoilers circulating on the Internet. Among the first to get a taste of HBO's censorship campaign is YouTube channel , which according to TorrentFreak "is remarkably accurate with his predictions, and claims to have a source close to the fire who feeds him information."
Frikidoctor's latest YouTube clip that offers predictions on the Oathbreaker GoT episode was reportedly taken down at the behest of HBO, a move that TorrentFreak said was accompanied by "dubious copyright claims." The Spain-based owner of the channel insisted that his video presentation on Episode 3 was without any elements - clips or sounds - that belong to HBO so the takedown came as a puzzle.
can only speculate that in the effort to protect its interest, HBO might be misusing the DMCA.
TorrentFreak said that alongside its ongoing drive to rid the Net of illegal access to the current Game of Thrones season, "HBO also appears to have an eye on those who talk about what may happen during the rest of the season."
The report added that YouTuber Frikidoctor is weighing on his legal options while toning down on the spoiler contents of his upcoming clips if only to keep the heat coming from HBO low.
Meanwhile, even as the GoT producer is finding considerable success to persuade Game of Thrones fans to keep to the legitimate channel in enjoying the show The Pirate Bay is proving a big stumble on HBO's warpath against suspected pirates.
In a recent report, TPB operators have indicated that files - Game of Thrones episodes including - uploaded to the site will not be deleted despite takedown requests from copyright holders. The TPB team said that torrents will only be removed if they contain spam, malware and child porn, leaving GoT torrents safe and ready to stream or download by users.