Amazon is cracking down on illegal streaming, blocking pirated apps directly on the device, even including side-loaded apps from outside the AppStore, digitaltrends is reporting.

It has been estimated that nearly five million people in Britain alone have been watching illegal streams, with almost a third of them using Fire Sticks to do so.

Amazon’s new Fire TV Stick 4K Select launched last month on a new operating system called Vega OS, prevents the installation of apps not in the AppStore.

The company said even those with older sticks would find updates that block apps known for piracy.

For a long time, digitaltrends reports, the Fire TV Stick was cheap, easy to use, and allowed a wide variety of installations, a useful openness for techies, but it also made the devices a haven for piracy.

The report said: “People could easily grab apps that let them watch expensive sport or movies for free [or very cheaply].

“Now, Amazon is working with a big anti-piracy group called Ace — which includes giants like Netflix and Disney — to clean house.

“By blocking these apps at the device level, the company is trying to shut down the easy access that made Fire Sticks so popular in the ‘underground’ streaming world.

“Why should I care? If you’re one of the people with a ‘fully loaded’ Fire Stick, you might wake up one day to find your favourite free sports app just does not work any more. Amazon is basically turning off the tap.

“But there’s another angle Amazon is pushing: safety. The company points out that a lot of these shady apps are dangerous.

“It says they can carry malware that steals your data or messes with your home network. So, while losing free TV sucks, Amazon argues it’s saving you from digital germs.

“What’s next: this crackdown has already started in Germany and France, and Amazon says it’s going to expand globally in the coming weeks.”

The publication said that rights holders such as the Premier League are putting massive pressure on tech companies to stop piracy and Amazon is clearly deciding it’s time to fall in line.