Kodi: Navi-X add-on shuts down amid legal fears

A Kodi add-on has been discontinued because of the legal issues surrounding people’s use of the open-source software.

Kodi itself isn’t illegal, but third-party add-ons built by developers can allow users to access illegal streams for sports events, TV shows and films through it.

Users can download Kodi and find and install these add-ons themselves, but the process isn’t straightforward.

Pre-loaded players cut out some of the hassle, and this has led to the growth of a new market for devices pre-loaded with Kodi and add-ons.

Last month, the EU Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the sale of media players deliberately pre-loaded with links to copyrighted content is illegal.

Navi-X, which has been operating since 2007, will no longer be available to Kodi users.

“Every good thing must come to an end. After ten years of successful operation, Navi-X has sadly being discontinued. Navi-X was first released in April 2007, and is the oldest Kodi addon of its kind,” reads an announcement on TV Addons.

“The main reason why the decision was made to discontinue the Navi-X service is the current legal climate surrounding Kodi. In case you aren’t aware, the abundance of preloaded Kodi box sellers has resulted in a lot of heat on Kodi in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.”

The Navi-X post described sellers so-called “fully loaded Kodi boxes” as “leeches trying to profit from the hard work of Kodi developers” and said that they have nothing to do with the Kodi community.

“Hosting Navi-X playlists is no longer something we feel comfortable doing due to the potential liability that comes with it.”

However, it clarified that the decision was voluntary, and Navi-X had not been forced to shut down.

Earlier this year, Police Scotland claimed that gangs have started selling pre-loaded players because they see it as a low-risk crime.

Kodi recently said it welcomes the ECJ’s ruling, and has branded sellers of pre-loaded media players as “a real problem”.

It has also encouraged people to keep using Kodi, but has stressed that it does not condone piracy.