Can any Europeans explain to me what a TV License is and why you need one?

[KostasKouvalis]

Some Irish girl was talking about it, but I was so confused and googling it made me even MORE confused. I'm even more confused, because she said some people watch TV without ever getting one. I'm so confused, because in the US we get our channels through private companies and we have to pay a monthly fee or they'll cut it off.

Updates

6 mo

She said there's actually an inspector that comes by and if you don't have one you get fined. Someone else said you even need one for smartphone, tablet, computer.

[sawno]

Basically for them the public broadcaster is funded by the license. If you watch any live TV at all no matter which channel you are forced to pay it. There is no technical thing stopping you from watching TV if you don't pay it, but they do inspections and if caught you get fined. Same applies for recordings of the live TV or watching on BBC iPlayer minus a specific thing that has an exception.

What is fine without a license is on demand services when they aren't on BBC iPlayer. So you can do your netflix just fine, you can do your on demand website of one of the private company channels just fine as well. As long as its not live TV. Twitch live streams are also fine those don't count as TV.

Personally I wish we had it in my country, because here its funded by tax money which means I am forced to fund the state propeganda. Over there they at least have a choice.

[KostasKouvalis]

NOOOOOOOOOO. Why would you want this?
The Irish girl said she only watches Netflix and said she still needs it, because if you have a TV, there's no way to prove you aren't watching that other stuff

[sawno]

Nah thats incorrect, if the TV is not plugged in to these things then you don't need a license at all. Especially if you don't even have a TV subscription.

[Kaneki05]

It's a pointless thing that you only pay for if you don't how to use the internet, and dunno how to say nah I just use my Tv for gaming or watching films on dvd or us my pc, very simple answers that make that inspector leave.

[KostasKouvalis]

The girl on YouTube said you still need to get one, as there's no real way to prove that. If they see a TV, they assume you're watching programs

[Kaneki05]

The burden of proof is on them not you and it's hard most of the time hence why they typically don't and a lot don't ever get caught. Most of the time those who get caught are the obvious it's on your bill that you pay for a live sports channel...
Plus it costs them to actually go after someone so they want to make it worth while not waste time. Meaning they likely want to find someone who's been doing it for years easy to prove and can fetch a way bigger fine.

And of course the major difference between today and time ago is younger generation don't watch Tv in the first place, so Tv license used to be more effective.
Also ya know everyone is a pirate these days and funnily enough no one ever get's done for that... it's all unpoliceable really but they try to scare you that it is not.

[purplepoppy]

Have a look on YouTube at some of the old TV licence adverts, they're pretty menacing.

Back in the 70s they drove around in detector vans and kids would rush home to warn their parents who would unplug the TV. Needless to say these vans didn't have the ability to see in your house but people were dumb back then.

These days if you move home It's guaranteed there'll be a pile of threatening letters on the doormat to welcome you.

[KostasKouvalis]

Damn, that's some dystopian shit.
This one was hilareous though🤣
https://youtu.be/XNnCeQXUt1g?si=Q4CfWdEvh3R2eii3

[purplepoppy]

They don't have any legal right of entry. You can just tell them to fuck off and then they have to get the police involved and that takes weeks.

[KostasKouvalis]

That's what I was wondering, becauase the girl made it sound like they can come into your house

[Sunshinelips]

The tv licence will be abolished soon, everyone is cancelling it and the BBC are losing money 🤣🤣🤣🤣
It’s a pointless system that we don’t need.

[Daytoday79]

In think it was an effort to raise money, you need to pay for them

[Anonymous]

Easy for me to understand haha!