[Get-iPlayer] Re: BBC iPlayer login will be required from 2017

[Graham]

On 27/09/16 11:13, CJB wrote:
> This appears to be a requirement for each individual viewer. Yet
> aren't TV Licenses issued for households or families? Certainly a
> password coupled with a License fee registration number would
> required. Which raises the scenario of one License fee no. coupled to
> multiple passwords - one for each member of a family.

My guess is that they will ask for name, address and email, possibly
under penalty of perjury and with email validation during registration.
No one is going to know, or be willing to look for, their licence
number!  They will presumably check if there is a licence at the
address. If not, threatening letters and emails get sent. Why do
anything more complicated than that?

Of course, there will be a lot of fiction about checking IP addresses,
about checking email registrations, etc (just like TV detector vans).
Some people will certainly lie about their address but it is unlikely to
be cost effective to actually follow up any further. Anyone determined
enough to get free iPlayer access can tie them up in lots of costly
lawyer correspondence about VPNs, the difference between the IP address
and the viewing location, the presence of mains power, etc, etc.  I will
be surprised to see any case of iPlayer access without a licence ever
getting to court.