World Cup 2026 | Shop suspected of selling illegal set-top boxes Expert: Sales trap Users may be breaking the law

The four-year World Cup will kick off in June. Local media reports indicate that some shops are suspected of selling illegal set-top boxes, claiming they can watch CCTV live broadcasts and advertising "one-time payment, lifetime free." However, experts warn that this may be illegal and pose risks of hacking.

Honorary President of the Hong Kong Information Technology Chamber, Fong Po-kau, stated that most set-top boxes on the market mainly extract free TV signals from different regions or online live streams, convert them into digital signals, and then upload them to their own streaming platforms for piracy. Regarding shops claiming that their set-top boxes can watch the World Cup, he warned that this is often a sales trap set by illegal merchants, as pirated set-top boxes may have their signals cut off after a period of use. He urged citizens to watch the matches through safe and legal channels.

Fong Po-kau also pointed out that pirated set-top boxes may have malware installed, which can steal everything in the user's home, including data on computers and mobile phones. They can also use the user's network to launch cyberattacks via the set-top box, ultimately causing losses to the user.

Additionally, a lawyer stated that although there are currently no local laws regulating buyers, if users retransmit related videos through set-top boxes, they may violate the Criminal Copyright Ordinance. For example, some devices broadcast signals during reception, and if the set-top box has this function, it could potentially breach copyright laws.