Indian-based tech group Prime Focus Technologies (PFT) has distanced itself from the recent leak of an episode of Game of Thrones.
On 4th August, links to season seven, episode four of the hit TV show bearing a Star India watermark appeared online three days before the episode’s scheduled air date.
In a statement, PFT described this as an “illegal breach of obligations by current and former employees.”
Four people were arrested on Monday in Mumbai in connection with the leak, with PFT stating: “It is important to note that this was not a system hack. It was an illegal breach of obligations by the concerned persons despite of PFT’s continual internal emphasis on protocols of content security and ethical practices. We deeply regret and condemn this incident.”
In 2015, the first four episodes of Game of Thrones season five were released online well before their official release dates, leading HBO to invest in advanced watermarking ahead of seasons six and seven.
This morning’s news has delivered an ironic twist as HBO Spain accidentally broadcast the penultimate episode of season seven four days early.
The episode was reportedly available on-demand to Spanish subscribers for one hour before being removed – long enough for it to be ripped and shared.
