Amazon has been slowly evolving its app blocking process ever since it was revealed that piracy apps would be blacklisted on Fire TV devices last year. Users first began seeing warning messages when launching apps that Amazon believed contained unlicensed content, but the apps were allowed to open. Shortly after, the warnings escalated to a full block, preventing flagged apps from launching on Fire TV devices. According to YouTuber TechDoctorUK, Amazon has since tightened restrictions even further, now blocking piracy apps from being installed at all.
Blocking installation rather than just blocking apps from running might feel like a minor distinction, but it eliminates a popular method Fire TV owners have been using to bypass the ban. Since Amazon appears to be blocking apps based on the app’s package name, those who want to continue using blacklisted apps have been using app cloning tools to modify blacklisted apps and skirt detection.
Amazon previously removed an app cloning tool from its appstore, which made the process less convenient, but many continued to use it. Now, by preventing banned apps from being installed at all, it is impossible to use app cloning tools directly on Fire TV devices, as the banned app is never present.
While blocking apps at installation, instead of at launch, creates a new obstacle, it ultimately does little to prevent determined users from using blocked apps. Cloning tools can be updated to modify APK files prior to installation, if there aren’t some that can already do that, and various websites exist where users can alter apps externally. Additionally, pre-modified versions of many blacklisted apps are already widely available to install, which haven’t been blocked by Amazon.
