MPA Pushes for Automated Pirate Site Blocking & Pressures VPNs

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) wants European countries to adopt automated systems that can block piracy sites in real-time without court approval.

The entertainment giant also demands that VPN companies and content delivery networks actively help fight online piracy.

MPA Demands Real-Time Blocking Systems Across Europe

The Motion Picture Association submitted detailed comments to the European Commission about fighting online piracy.

The group, representing Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros., and other major studios, wants automated systems that can block piracy sites instantly without lengthy court procedures.

The MPA complained that European Union countries implement blocking laws inconsistently. Germany, Poland, and Bulgaria haven’t properly adopted blocking measures that have been available for over twenty years.

In Germany, copyright holders must identify piracy site operators before requesting blocks, creating unnecessary barriers.

Automated Systems Target Live Sports Content

Live sports broadcasts and IPTV streams present special challenges because their economic value disappears once events end.

The MPA wants dynamic blocking systems that work in real-time, pointing to successful automated programs in Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Brazil. This is very similar to the automated tool IBCAP is working on.

These systems would let copyright holders automatically add new piracy domains to block lists without going through courts each time. When piracy sites get blocked, operators typically register new domains with similar names within hours.

VPNs and CDNs Face New Enforcement Pressure

The entertainment industry wants content delivery networks like Cloudflare and VPN providers to actively participate in blocking efforts.

The MPA argues these services have technical capabilities to implement targeted blocking at infrastructure levels.

The group also wants expanded “Know Your Business Customer” requirements for hosting providers, CDNs, and other online intermediaries.

Currently, these verification rules only apply to online marketplaces under the Digital Services Act.

Industry Groups Echo Blocking Demands

Other entertainment companies support stronger enforcement measures. DAZN called the Digital Services Act a missed opportunity to specifically target VPN providers and server hosts.

Broadcasting companies want hosting providers and payment services to take more decisive action against piracy.

These organizations want faster “Right of Information” requests to identify piracy operators more quickly. They believe rapid identification leads to more effective enforcement actions.

Final Thoughts

The MPA continues pushing complex technical solutions while avoiding the obvious answer. Instead of spending resources on automated blocking systems and pressuring VPN companies, the entertainment industry should focus on affordable pricing models.

When streaming services cost hundreds per month and it’s difficult to find content in one place, people naturally seek alternatives.

Rather than building elaborate enforcement mechanisms, they could follow successful models like Spotify and offer content at fair rates. Most consumers would gladly pay reasonable prices for convenient, legal access to entertainment content instead of dealing with unreliable piracy sites.

For more information on this story, refer to the official MPA submission (PDF) and the report from TorrentFreak.

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