In a move to combat international online piracy, US Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) introduced new legislation that targets access to foreign piracy websites by implementing site-blocking measures. The proposed bill allows copyright owners to obtain court orders compelling Internet service providers (ISPs) and Domain Name System (DNS) providers to block such sites. This development marks continued efforts by the US to align with countries like Canada, the UK, and Australia, which have already enacted similar laws to address piracy. For more details, view Ars Technica’s coverage.
Lofgren, recognized for her role on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, collaborated with key members of the tech, film, and television industries for over a year during the bill’s creation. Her ambitions extend to bipartisan cooperation, aiming to work with Republican counterparts to push the legislation forward. Lofgren’s press release, which can be viewed here, features input from Charles Rivkin, chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA). The MPA has been a significant advocate for the enactment of such laws, underscoring that existing legal frameworks in other democracies have successfully mitigated piracy while maintaining consumer access to legitimate content.
However, the legislation is not without its critics. Consumer advocacy group Public Knowledge has voiced concerns, labeling the bill a “censorious site-blocking” measure. Senior Policy Counsel Meredith Rose criticized it for potentially transforming broadband providers into “copyright police,” suggesting that it implements a far-reaching censorship infrastructure rather than tackling the accountability of individuals operating these piracy sites. Critics further argue that imposing blocking orders on global DNS resolvers could lead to global blocks, thereby granting a single court undue power to cut off global access based on a lone filing and expedited procedures. This raises fears of potential abuse, similar to issues observed in other countries, such as the outcomes highlighted by various organizations and studies, like Internet Society and TorrentFreak.