Tv Licence

[nailit]

Just tried to access a programme on BBC iplayer and got a pop up informing me that the law has changed and you now need a licence to view catch up.

1) How would they know if you were viewing?
2) If tv licencing were to pay a visit to your home, would they have a right to take your laptop to analyse if you had been viewing iplayer?

Thanks.

[Mamyalynne]

//It is unclear exactly how the new rules will be enforced.//


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37226030

[fiction-factory]

I think it's very unlikely they would ever know or follow up. Seems a silly law- in fact licence abuse is so easy I wish they would just scrap it altogether and perhaps require a paid subscription just like for Sky etc.
But maybe at some point they will require you to enter a PIN code/confirm a licence number, just like when you use online banking

[Mamyalynne]

I consider my 40p per day as a subscription to lots of channels - I am happy for it to be left as it is.

[ummmm]

It's just like them asking if you're over 16. They have no way of knowing.

[Islay]

Silly question why would you not just pay the licence?

[Mamyalynne]

Course not, you make your choice.

[SnookerPlayer]

If you want to leech off the decent licence paying folk, carry on.

[sunny-dave]

It's unclear how they can find people - or prove that they are watching iPlayer without a licence. I think it's actually just the first step to making iPlayer a proper pay-to-view service.

On a slightly wider view of the subject, they really missed a trick when we went from analogue to digital.

They should have encrypted all the BBC channels and required purchase of a smart card and subscription to watch them - either when broadcast or online.

That would have stopped a lot of whinging - and also flushed out a lot of the "I never watch BBC" fibbers.

I continue to be fascinated by several people on here (no names, no packdrill) who are avoiding paying a licence fee "because I don't watch live TV and certainly not the BBC", but routinely comment on programmes and events as they are broadcast on the Beeb.

[fiction-factory]

As more and more people watch on laptops rather than TVs and as more people become eligible for the free over 75 licence I can see a situation in a few years time when the money raised will fall by a further 20% - so there may come a point where the licence fee has to go up quite a bit to make up for the freeloading. Some may still be happy to pay it though, i accept that

[nailit]

OK guys thanks.
I havnt had a tv licence for years and now iv got rid of my tv, they are asking me to buy one :-)

[naomi24]

//Silly question why would you not just pay the licence? //

I'm guessing Nailit doesn't have a television - hence the question.

[naomi24]

Oops. Cross posted.

[hc4361]

The ISP providers have to keep a record of your browsing history for 12 months - that includes phone providers.
So the ISP can show you've access the iPlayer but whether or not the BBC has the right to that information, I don't know

[nailit]

//If you want to leech off the decent licence paying folk, carry on. //
Thats very kind of you, thanks

[SnookerPlayer]

I pay for my licence, so, I am very kind.

[bookbinder]

If you have any kind of equipment that can receive tv broadcasts, you're supposed to have a licence. If a licensing inspector knocks on your door, and asks if you have a licence, you either say 'yes', in which case he'll ask to see it; or you say 'no', in which case he'll ask if you have any tv-receiving equipment. He might ask to enter your house and have a look around. He won't know if you've been watching iplayer, or anything else. If you have the equipment, but no licence, he might issue a summons.

[Islay]

OK but I cannot see why you would deliberately break the law?

Nevermind it is your choice. It is up to them to prove that you watch iplayer perhaps they have seizure notices.

[wolf63]

I know that there is no logic but -

I don't have a TV but I have a licence. I rarely watch catch- up TV BUT I watch some things on YouTube.

The BBC used ave excellent animal programmes

[nailit]

//He might ask to enter your house and have a look around//
And you can tell them 'no you cant' and withdraw their implied right of access.

[ummmm]

Yes, Nailit...it's because you can watch live TV now.