Twitter threatens to ban accounts of users who live-streamed new Game of Thrones episodes via its app, Periscope

GAME of Thrones fans have live-streamed leaked episodes on video app Periscope, prompting Twitter to warn users they could be suspended.

ENTHUSIASTIC Game of Thrones fans have taken to live-streaming leaked episodes from season five of the series on Twitter’s video app, Periscope, prompting Twitter to threaten to suspend the accounts involved.

After this morning’s much anticipated Game of Thrones premiere resulted in several Periscope users rebroadcasting some episodes by pointing their smartphones at the TV, Twitter has strongly condemned the streaming of copyrighted material on one of its services, media site Mumbrella reported.

In a statement, a Twitter spokesman said that “in appropriate circumstances, Periscope will also terminate a user’s account if the user is determined to be a repeat infringer.”

“Any violation of the terms of use are taken seriously. We work together with our community to ensure our content rules are respected.

“Report any content that violates our Community Guidelines.”

Illegal ... Monday’s much-anticipated Game of Thrones season five premiere resulted in several Periscope users rebroadcasting some episodes by pointing their smartphones at the TV: Picture: AP Photo/ HBO, Helen Sloan

Although the quality of the streams was poor, Periscope has now become a possible tool for streaming copyrighted content as users wait for better quality torrents to crop up.

Periscope was acquired by Twitter this year, and allows users to stream video to their friends in real time.

On its website, Twitter has laid out the guidelines for Periscope users, explains that Periscope is “about being in the moment, connected to a person and a place. This immediacy encourages direct and unfiltered participation in a story as it’s unfolding”.

According to data gathered by file-sharing monitor website TorrentFreak, half a day after the first episode appeared online, more than a million people had already shared and downloaded it via a torrent site.

Earlier this morning, more that 300,000 people were actively sharing one of the most popular torrents.

Hard-line ... the Periscope drama comes only a week after the Federal Court ruled in favour of Dallas Buyers Club LLC, leaving lasting implications for the ongoing fight against illegal downloading. Picture: Supplied

A sample of more than 18,000 IP addresses revealed that Australians were behind 11.6 per cent of total downloads, most coming from Melbourne, and followed by Sydney.

This latest illegal streaming episode comes only a week after the Federal Court handed down the verdict in favour of Dallas Buyers Club LLC, leaving lasting implications for the ongoing fight against illegal downloading and file sharing.

The Hollywood studio had requested that iiNet (and a few other Australian ISPs) divulge the identity of customers whose IP addresses were found to have shared the film Dallas Buyers Club illegally.

The company owns the rights to the movie and identified a total of 4726 IP addresses that engaged in the illegal activity. The ruling means that the company will now be given the contact details of the offenders and will be able to pursue them directly for compensation.