European Anti-Piracy Campaign Calls for Involvement of VPN Services in Regulation Dispute
In Europe, the movie industry is taking a stand against online piracy, with the Motion Picture Association (MPA) urging VPN providers, proxies, and Content Delivery Systems to assist in combating piracy. The MPA proposes an automated system that can block pirated content in real-time, without court approval.
This push for cooperation comes after France ordered some VPN service providers to block access to illegal sports streaming sites, following a legal victory by Canal+. The MPA also emphasizes the importance of involving reverse proxy providers, content delivery networks (CDNs), hosting providers, VPNs, and search engines in blocking pirated content.
However, DNS and CDN providers, as well as VPN services, have raised concerns about the potential damage to the internet infrastructure due to blocking orders. A recent report highlighted the risks of overblocking incidents and internet fragmentation. Cloudflare, a leading DNS and CDN provider, even suggested that any internet block could be considered internet censorship.
The MPA's demands, if successful, could lead to more stringent regulations on VPNs and other intermediaries, potentially affecting their business models and user experience. Users may also lose trust in VPN services if they perceive a compromising of their privacy and freedom to access content. Additionally, the demand for VPN services could shift towards providers that do not comply with such regulations, potentially driving the creation of underground or unregulated VPN networks.
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In response to an EU Commission inquiry, the MPA submitted detailed remarks on May 25, 2025. The group stressed the need for effective implementation of blocking laws across all EU Member States to successfully tackle copyright infringements, especially when it comes to live content. The MPA also supports automated, real-time site-blocking mechanisms with appropriate safeguards to address emerging infringing streams.
References:
- Torrent Freak
- Letter from the Motion Picture Association
- Cloudflare
- Recent report on internet blocking
- Italy's Piracy Shield system
Cybersecurity measures in Europe's movie industry might extend to data-and-cloud-computing providers like Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) and VPN services, as the Motion Picture Association (MPA) emphasizes their role in blocking pirated content. However, these technology companies have expressed concerns about potential internet infrastructure damage due to blocking orders, fearing incidents of overblocking and internet fragmentation.
