New US Bills Aim to Enforce Site Blocking for Pirate Websites

A renewed push for site blocking in the U.S. is underway with two bills aiming to restrict access to foreign pirate websites.

The Foreign Anti-Digital Piracy Act (FADPA), introduced by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), has the backing of major Hollywood studios.

At the same time, Rep. Darrell Issa (R) is preparing the American Copyright Protection Act (ACPA), which takes a similar approach.

FADPA: A Legal Framework for Site Blocking

The first effort for site blocking in 2025 involved FADPA, which is designed to avoid the public outcry that sank SOPA in 2012.

It would allow courts to issue dynamic injunctions, letting authorities block pirate sites and any new domains they create. The bill also shields internet service providers (ISPs) from legal liability when enforcing these blocks.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren explains the FADPA in more detail:

A key focus is on DNS resolvers like Google, Cloudflare, and OpenDNS, which have faced legal action in France and Italy. The bill would require these companies to block infringing domains but exempts smaller providers with under $100 million in annual revenue.

Potential Opposition to FADPA

Google played a major role in stopping SOPA, but its stance on site blocking has softened. The company now voluntarily removes pirate sites from search results when ordered by courts in Europe, India, and Brazil.

While Google and YouTube attended a private meeting about the bill, their official position remains unclear.

ACPA: A Competing Site Blocking Proposal

Rep. Issa’s American Copyright Protection Act takes a similar approach but focuses on judicial blocking.

A closed-door meeting in Los Angeles included Disney, Paramount, Amazon, Google, and Verizon to discuss ACPA’s role in tackling piracy. MPA members Disney, Paramount, and Amazon strongly support blocking, but Verizon’s role is less clear.

ISPs often face consumer backlash for enforcing restrictions, which could affect brand reputation and customer retention. However, blocking pirate sites could push more users toward paid TV services like Verizon Fios.

What’s Next for Site Blocking in the U.S.?

With support from major corporations, these bills stand a better chance than SOPA. If passed, they would make the U.S. the latest country to implement large-scale site blocking.

Consumer advocacy groups have yet to weigh in, and ISPs may resist being forced into an enforcement role. Whether these proposals gain traction or face another industry-wide pushback remains to be seen.

For more information on this story, refer to the FADPA press release and the report from TorrentFreak.

We want to know your thoughts on this story. What do you think about the US Government continuing to push for more site blocking? Let us know in the comment section below!

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