German Pirate Sites Get Their Long Awaited Blocklist Entry
Two years ago, German Internet providers agreed to voluntarily block the most egregeous pirate sites. The ISPs teamed up with copyright holders and launched the “Clearing Body for Copyright on the Internet” (CUII), which is in charge of handing down blocking ‘orders’. While CUII doesn’t rely on court judgments, there is some form of oversight. When copyright holders report a pirate site, a review committee first checks whether the...
DAZN’s Early Piracy Targets May Include U.S. Govt. Domain Seizure Survivors
Following intense pressure from rightsholders for lawmakers to sign off on tough legislation to block pirate IPTV services in Italy, pens were put to paper in July, and it was all systems go for the new season. With the nation holding its breath for what was about to come next, nothing much happened. Around 100 pirate service ‘violations’ were reportedly identified on the first day of the season early August, but no sites or services...
Hollywood’s Latest Pirate Site Blocking Injunction Covers ‘Future Content’
Like many other countries around the world, India’s copyright law allows rightsholders to limit access to pirate sites. This legal tool is widely used by the major Hollywood studios. These companies regularly obtain injunctions that require local Internet providers to block websites to prevent piracy. Over the years the nature of these court orders has evolved. The initial measures were straightforward, in the sense that they pointed...
RARBG Shut Down in the Middle of a Bulgarian Piracy Crackdown
When RARBG suddenly ended its operations at the end of May 2023, the absence of notice coupled with the immediate and comprehensive nature of the shutdown felt different to similar events of the past. The RARBG team mentioned several factors that contributed to their decision to throw in the towel, but none even hinted at legal issues. The fact that a notice appeared at all does lean towards a non-chaotic termination of the site....
ACE Shuts Down Three Piracy Rings in Egyptian Whack-a-Mole
The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) is the most active anti-piracy coalition, assisting enforcement efforts around the world. The group is backed by prominent rightsholders such as beIN, Canal+, DAZN, Disney, Sky, Netflix, and Warner Bros, as it systematically hunts down key piracy players. Through new partnerships and connections, ACE expanded its work in the MENA region last year. This includes Egypt, where the...
Bungie & Teenage Destiny 2 Cheat Settle Differences With $500K Permaban
Bungie’s copyright infringement-based lawsuits against cheat makers, sellers, and those who use them, have divided opinion in unexpected ways. While David vs. Goliath battles tend to have the masses cheering for the little guy, many videogame fans have grown tired of their enjoyment being spoiled by people who intentionally set out to spoil it. The fact that many of these individuals pay out significant sums of money to gain an...
