TV Manufacturers Urged to Ban VPNs – Piracy Shield a Bust

Italy’s ambitious plan to roll out an upgraded version of its anti-piracy system, Piracy Shield 2.0, by the end of 2024 is encountering significant hurdles.

Despite earlier claims that the new system would be operational by year-end, there are growing doubts about its readiness, with no software supplier yet chosen and critical issues in the current system unresolved.

With only a few months remaining in 2024, these challenges raise concerns about the future effectiveness of Italy’s anti-piracy measures.

Piracy Shield’s Current Struggles

The original Piracy Shield, launched to curb online piracy by blocking domains and IP addresses associated with illegal content, has been plagued with problems from the start.

Designed with a smaller scope in mind, the system has struggled to keep up with the volume of piracy-related traffic, leading to frequent timeouts and inefficiencies.

The blocking system was not equipped to handle the demand, resulting in the reactivation of previously blocked domains to make room for new ones—a practice not accounted for in the existing legislation.

During a June 2024 panel at the Serie A Festival, Massimiliano Capitanio, head of Italy’s telecom regulator AGCOM, acknowledged the system’s limitations.

He announced that a new platform would be introduced as part of “Phase 2,” with the current infrastructure expanded to manage the increased data load.

However, with no clear timeline or selected supplier, the feasibility of launching Piracy Shield 2.0 within the promised timeframe remains doubtful.

Unblocking to Continue Blocking

One of the most pressing issues with the current Piracy Shield system is the lack of provisions for unblocking IP addresses or domains once they have been added to the blocklist.

This oversight is particularly concerning given the finite number of IPv4 addresses. The system reached its pre-established limit of 18,000 blocking records more quickly than expected, forcing the unblocking of older records to accommodate new ones—a move that, while necessary, contravenes existing regulations.

As the new season began, it became apparent that without significant updates, the system would not be able to sustain its blocking operations.

Yet, reports suggest that the legislation governing Piracy Shield may not be updated until a later stage, leaving the system in a precarious state.

The Uncertain Future of Piracy Shield 2.0

Despite public statements that Piracy Shield 2.0 would be ready by the end of 2024, recent developments cast doubt on these claims.

Italian state-owned procurement company Consip has not yet called for tenders to develop the new platform, indicating that the project is still in its early stages.

This delay raises questions about whether a new system can be developed, tested, and deployed within the remaining months of the year.

AGCOM remains optimistic, with Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo expressing confidence in the planned upgrades. However, without a concrete plan or selected supplier, the timeline for Piracy Shield 2.0 appears increasingly unrealistic.

AGCOM’s New Target: VPNs

In addition to its efforts to upgrade Piracy Shield, AGCOM is also turning its attention to virtual private networks (VPNs), which users often employ to bypass ISP blocks.

In October 2023, AGCOM began advocating for measures to restrict the use of VPNs in conjunction with piracy, marking a shift in its stance on these services.

AGCOM is reportedly studying the potential to ban a specific VPN app from smart TVs, arguing that while the app itself is legitimate, it can be misused to access pirated content.

This move has sparked controversy, as it could impact legitimate uses of VPNs and raises questions about AGCOM’s authority in this area. The regulator’s push to prevent the installation of the VPN app on smart TVs from two major manufacturers further complicates the situation.

Final Thoughts

Italy’s Piracy Shield initiative is facing significant challenges as it attempts to transition to a more robust system.

With Piracy Shield 2.0 still in the planning stages and the current system struggling to meet demand, the future of Italy’s anti-piracy efforts remains uncertain.

AGCOM’s recent focus on VPNs adds another layer of complexity, potentially impacting users who rely on these services for legitimate purposes.

For more information on this story, refer to the AGCOM blocking order (PDF) and the report from TorrentFreak.

We want to know your thoughts on this story. What do you think about Piracy Shield and TV manufacturers being urged to ban VPNs? Let us know in the comment section below!

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