The big picture: Should key figures in the copyright protection realm succeed, mandating internet providers to prohibit access to piracy sites may soon become a reality in the US. This was one of the major conclusions from the recent anti-piracy symposium hosted by the US Patent and Trademark Office.
The symposium convened prosecutors, industry representatives, and anti-piracy specialists to explore current piracy trends and potential solutions. TorrentFreak reports that during the discussions on new measures, site blocking was strongly advocated as an effective solution that the US has been lacking.
A portion of the urgency derives from the assertion by experts that online piracy has evolved into a highly professional and complex criminal venture.
Steven Hawley from Piracy Monitor characterized it as a “multichannel, multilevel industry, multinational phenomenon,” where aspiring pirates can easily leverage “Piracy as a Service” tools to create polished platforms and delivery systems.
Marissa Bostick from the Motion Picture Association (MPA) noted that this growth in piracy sophistication coincides with a shift towards more paid piracy services like Magis TV’s IPTV offerings. Additionally, these pirates are reportedly operating more overtly, even to the extent of advertising their services on billboards and applying for trademarks.
Given the evolving, profitable, and bold piracy environment, copyright holders naturally seek more robust tools to combat piracy on US soil. Site blocking appears to be their recommended next step.
Lui Simpson from the Association of American Publishers expressed similar views, stating the US is “lagging far behind” other countries in addressing this issue since the failed SOPA effort in 2012.
Undoubtedly, a US site-blocking system would need meticulous execution to prevent overblocking of legitimate sites, an issue that has afflicted Italy’s controversial “Piracy Shield.” There are also concerns about pirate sites reappearing under new domains after being blocked.
Nonetheless, Bostick assured that the MPA has accumulated over a decade of global site blocking experience to rely on to “advance” a balanced and effective solution that can adeptly adapt to pirates changing domains.
She indicated that her organization has witnessed site blocking’s success in over 50 other countries, including major markets such as the UK, Canada, Australia, and Germany. She remains optimistic about the advancement of site-blocking legislation in the US with bipartisan backing.
