Pirate CDNs Fueling 1,400 Russian Sites “Use EU & US CDN Infrastructure”
Back in 2019, Dutch anti-piracy group BREIN, alongside the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment and Hollywood’s MPA, had reason to celebrate following a successful enforcement operation. Their target was a CDN (Content Delivery Network) known as Moonwalk, which offered vast quantities of movies and TV shows for pirate site operators to embed in their own sites. Services like these aren’t necessarily the cheapest option, but if...
“You Wouldn’t Steal a Car”… But Would You Pirate a Font?
First released in 2004 as part of the broader “Piracy: It’s a Crime” campaign, the “You Wouldn’t Steal a Car” PSA quickly became iconic. Its dramatic equation of online piracy with stealing handbags, televisions, and cars, also made it a fertile breeding ground for memes, satire, and ridicule. While the main commercial is well-remembered, a lesser-known ‘street sales‘ equivalent has largely been forgotten. Even the official...
Pirate IPTV Users Largely Face No Risk of Arrest, UK’s Top Piracy Cop Concedes
For those not directly involved, assessing the effectiveness of an anti-piracy campaign meets significant challenges. The results of campaigns are often measured by those behind them, in some cases after receiving significant financial assistance from friendly governments. Whether by coincidence or otherwise, subsequent reports suggesting that everyone wasted their money are impossible to find. Reports of successful campaigns are less...
MPA and RIAA Want to be Heard in Crucial DMCA Subpoena Appeal
Tackling online piracy is a complicated endeavor that often begins with efforts to identify the operators of infringing sites and services. This is also where the first hurdles show up. Many pirates keep their identities concealed. This applies to the operators of sites and services as well as their users. This relative anonymity is a nuisance to anti-piracy groups, including the RIAA and MPA. While most online services refuse to...
Vercel Slams LaLiga Piracy Blocks as “Unaccountable Internet Censorship”
Since early February, Spain has faced unprecedented yet avoidable nationwide disruption to previously functioning, entirely legitimate online services. A court order obtained by top-tier football league LaLiga in partnership with telecommunications giant Telefonica, authorized ISP-level blocking across all major ISPs to prevent public access to pirate IPTV services and websites. In the first instance, controversy centered on...
Nintendo Seeks Damages & Broad Injunction Against ‘Pirate’ Game Streamer
For major companies like Nintendo, tackling online piracy isn’t just about punishing individual infringers; it’s about strategic deterrence. Filing lawsuits against casual gamers who may have made an isolated mistake is not a good look and could potentially backfire. Nintendo understands that and carefully picks its battles. The case against Jesse Keighin, better known under his gaming handle “EveryGameGuru”, exemplifies this...
