Stephen Fry attacks BBC iPlayer

"It's anything but secure"

8 May 2008 16:01 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

Stephen Fry has attacked the BBC for giving away programmes on iPlayer, calling the corporation's policy "incredible naivety".

Speaking at a BBC-organised lecture on public service broadcasting, Fry revealed how he "breaches" the iPlayer's copy protection by transferring material from his home computer to his Apple iPhone.

Fry is reported to have said: "There is this marvellous idea the iPlayer is secure. It's anything but secure. The BBC is throwing out really valuable content for free. It shows an incredible naivety about how the internet and digital devices work".

"The BBC is making a lot of enemies giving away free programmes to an internet that everyone else is trying to monetise; at the moment, it's relying on the fact you have to be slightly dorky to record from the iPlayer; but, believe me, that will change."

"It will soon be the work of a moment for my mother to get an iPlayer programme off her computer and on to her iPod, iPhone, or whatever device she chooses."