The MPA (Motion Picture Association) is working with members of Congress to create a bill that would force Internet Service Providers to block access to websites providing illegal streaming content.
This new legislation is a second attempt to bring site blocking to the United States after the first attempts in 2011. The first attempts were titled the “Stop Online Piracy Act” and the “Protect Intellectual Property Act.” Unfortunately, these attempts fizzled out before becoming law.
Opponents of the bill raised concerns about free speech issues and censorship. Many expressed fear that these laws could have huge implications on the public’s First Amendment rights, among other concerns.
However, the latest attempt to include site blocking by the MPA aims to remove any “gray areas” regarding the removal of sites. They will only do so if a court deems the website to be actively infringing on the rightsholder’s content.
This was a major topic at the 2024 CinemaCon “State of the Industry” event. MPA Chairman & CEO Charles Rivkin addressed it in detail:
So today, here with you at CinemaCon, I’m announcing the next major phase of this effort: the MPA is going to work with Members of Congress to enact judicial site-blocking legislation here in the United States.
For anybody unfamiliar with the term, site-blocking is a targeted, legal tactic to disrupt the connection between digital pirates and their intended audience. It allows all types of creative industries – film and television, music and book publishers, sports leagues and broadcasters – to request, in court, that internet service providers block access to websites dedicated to sharing illegal, stolen content.
Let’s be clear: this approach focuses only on sites featuring stolen materials. There are no gray areas here. Site-blocking does not impact legitimate businesses or ordinary internet users. To the contrary: it protects them, too.
And it does so within the bounds of due process, requiring detailed evidence establishing a target’s illegal activities and allowing alleged perpetrators to appear in a court of law. This is not an untested concept.
Site-blocking is a common tool in almost 60 countries, including leading democracies and many of America’s closest allies.
What key player is missing from that roster? Take a look at the map behind me. It’s us!
There’s no good reason for our glaring absence. No reason beyond a lack of political will, paired with outdated understandings of what site-blocking actually is, how it functions, and who it affects.
Yet experiences worldwide have now answered these concerns and taught us unmistakable lessons: Site-blocking works. It dramatically reduces traffic on piracy sites. It substantially increases visits to legal sites. Simply put, this is a powerful tool to defend what our filmmakers create and what reaches your theaters.
As noted in his speech, Rivkin is confident these site-blocking measures will work. He cites the existence of over 40 countries that have enacted site-blocking legislation, including the UK, Canada, and South Korea.
The site-blocking legislation proposed by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) acknowledges the challenges and criticisms it faces. It takes into account the defeat of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in 2012. However, the MPA is confident that concerns over free speech and censorship have been effectively addressed in countries where site-blocking legislation is already in effect.
This isn’t the first time the MPA has targeted online piracy, using various tactics in the past to remove websites and streaming platforms.
- MPA Removes Pluto TV M3U Playlist
- SmoothStreams IPTV Shut down by MPA
- MPA Teaming with Google to Delist Online Pirate Sites
Mobsters, Organized Crime Syndicates, Child Pornographers, Malware and Hackers
Rivkin continued to highlight the issues associated with these “pirate” streaming websites, claiming they are connected to organized crime outlets.
Remember, these aren’t teenagers playing an elaborate prank. The perpetrators are real-life mobsters, organized crime syndicates, many of whom engage in various illegal activities including child pornography, prostitution, drug trafficking, and more.
These websites draw in unsuspecting viewers whose personal data can fall prey to malware and hackers.
These entities are involved in theft, breaking laws each time they share protected content illegally. These activities are detrimental to the industry, dangerous for creators, consumers, and the economy.
Mobsters, organized crime syndicates, child pornographers, prostitution, drug trafficking, malware, and hackers – all contributing to significant financial losses and job theft in the U.S.
Rivkin provides no evidence for his claims, and similar fear tactics have been seen in the past, such as the “BeStreamWise” campaign in the United Kingdom using the slogan “Illegal Streams Let Criminals In”.
New Anti-Piracy Campaign Claims Illegal Streams Let Criminals In
How will Site-Blocking Work?
Many are curious about the exact process required to block an illicit streaming site by an Internet Service Provider. While details are not fully clear, there is a plan that would involve oversight by a federal judge.
A copyright holder would propose an order to block a website infringing on its rights by hosting their content without authorization.
If Internet Service Providers or the public disagree with the proposed block, they can respond, with the burden shifting to the copyright holder to prove infringement.
If a judge grants the blocking order, it then falls on the Internet Service Provider or another “middleman” to block access to the site. Unlike traditional copyright litigation, no damages are sought in these scenarios.
The process aims to be faster, taking only months instead of years. The upcoming battle between Internet Service Providers, the Motion Picture Association, and the public is anticipated.
This story was first reported by TorrentFreak.
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