Latest MPA Blocking Order Targets Popular Pirate Websites

Over 30 pirate streaming websites have been targeted in the MPA’s latest site blocking order in Australia. You can find the full list of pirate domains towards the end of this article.

In a continuing effort to combat online piracy, the Federal Court of Australia has issued its most recent injunction targeting approximately three dozen streaming websites.

The court order, handed down on May 8, 2024, primarily benefits major Hollywood studios, Netflix, and Apple. As the United States Congress contemplates implementing site-blocking legislation in 2024, Australia’s apparent success in this arena is likely to be presented as a compelling case study.

However, the question remains: what does success actually look like?

Australia’s Evolving Anti-Piracy Measures

Australia has been grappling with unusually high piracy rates for years. In response, the country began blocking pirate sites in 2016, following amendments to its copyright law.

The system has undergone continuous refinement over the past decade, with the administration of Australia’s pirate site-blocking system becoming increasingly organized and reliable.

Typically, applications for injunctions filed at the Federal Court are spearheaded by local movie company Village Roadshow, with the primary beneficiaries being major Hollywood studios, Netflix, and more recently, Apple.

This familiar format was once again evident in a March application, which sought ISP blocking measures against roughly three dozen pirate sites.

Assessing the Effectiveness of Site-Blocking

While Australia’s system is thorough, it has not always demonstrated the responsiveness necessary to address the constantly evolving pirate marketplace.

However, recent developments have shown a reduction in the time between application and blocking injunction. In the latest case, the period between rightsholders filing a statement of claim/originating application and obtaining an injunction was less than two months.

Despite these efforts, the effectiveness of site-blocking remains a topic of debate. When the domains of pirate websites are suddenly blocked by a country’s main ISPs, a significant drop in traffic to the blocked domains is an inevitable outcome.

However, pirate sites are quick to adapt, switching to replacement domains or subdomains within minutes or even seconds, thereby undermining the impact of blocking.

This is also not the first time we have seen government authorities push for site blocking measures:

• MPA Makes Major Push for Site Blocking in the US
• US Lawmakers Push for Site Blocking

The Ongoing Battle Against Piracy

While there is credible evidence to suggest that users affected by a blocking wave in Australia “increased consumption of content on legal viewing sites in the post-period following the blocking by 5%,” this uplift refers to a traffic measurement rather than an increase in subscription uptake.

Moreover, a study conducted by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) found that there were 1.8 billion visits to pirate sites from Australian IP addresses in 2022, representing a 10% increase compared to the previous year’s research.

Furthermore, according to Creative Content Australia, 6.3 million Australians aged 13 and above have experienced a cybersecurity issue while pirating, with 82% of teens and 72% of adults falling victim to fraud, malware, or identity theft. These figures suggest that eight in every ten teenagers are not finding blocking particularly effective.

Targeted Domains

Below is the list of targeted pirate domains found on the MPA’s blocking order.

• 0gomovies.ws
• watchseries1.video
• 0gomovies.com.pk
• 123series.art
• abcproxy.org
• cataz.to
• emovies.si
• ev01.sx
• flixhd.cc
• fmovies.style
• gimy.ai
• m4ufree.vip
• moviehdkh.com
• moviekhhd.biz
• movies.do
• musichq.pe
• projectfreetv.cyou
• projectfreetv.ru
• rarbg.tw
• serieshd.watch
• soap2day-online.com
• soap2day.tel
• soap2dayto.io
• thekickasstorrents.com
• thekickasstorrents.to
• thekisscartoon.com
• uflix.cc
• putlockersgo.net
• watch4freemovies.com
• watchseries1.stream
• thesoap2day.com
• animesuge.cc
• putlocker.onl
• m4ufree.site
• m4ufree.to
• watchseries.click
• 4movierulz.to
• ymovies.cc

Conclusion

As the United States Congress considers implementing site-blocking legislation, it is likely to look to countries like Australia and the United Kingdom as examples of successful blocking initiatives.

The latest batch of sites targeted in Australia will soon be added to the country’s growing blacklist. While some may have already disappeared, others have likely established new domains. Although blocking may still offer some benefits, it appears that, in general, it is not delivering the desired results.

For more details on this story, refer to the report from TorrentFreak and the MPA Blocking Order (PDF).

We want to know your thoughts on this story. What do you think about the MPA’s latest blocking order? Let us know in the comment section below!

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