• Hello and welcome! Register to enjoy full access and benefits:

    • Advertise in the Marketplace section for free.
    • Get more visibility with a signature link.
    • Company/website listings.
    • Ask & answer queries.
    • Much more...

    Register here or log in if you're already a member.

Namecheap Flagged for EU ‘Piracy Watchlist’ After Failing to Block Infringing Sites

zaidzahid

New Member
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Balance
$4.1USD
Hey, I hope you're doing well! I’m honestly really fed up with this whole situation involving Namecheap being flagged for EU piracy. I know this might be new to you, but let me explain. I was genuinely shocked when I found out that this U.S.-based domain registrar is actually making it harder for companies to stop piracy. okay i explain you in full details:

First, it's important to understand what the Dutch anti-piracy group BREIN is doing.


The Dutch anti-piracy group BREIN recently recommended changes to the EU's anti-piracy watchlist. It reported success in blocking sites through court orders. It noted, however,

that some partners, like Namecheap, could be more cooperative. Namecheap, for instance, won't block sites without a U.S. court order.

With backing from Hollywood and other content industries, BREIN fights piracy. It has a strong reputation in this effort.

Namecheap's Stand Against Blocking Pirate Sites​



Namecheap, a major US domain registrar, is under fire from Dutch group BREIN. The criticism stems from its refusal to block pirate sites. BREIN, tough on copyright issues in Europe, often seeks court orders. It aims to force ISPs and registrars to block sites like The Pirate Bay, KickassTorrents, and YTS.

Despite BREIN's efforts, Namecheap sticks to its policy. It demands a US court order before acting. This stance complicates things for BREIN. Dutch authorities can block sites locally, but they can't touch Namecheap due to its US policy. So, Namecheap continues to host piracy sites, making BREIN's job harder.

BREIN's Frustration with Namecheap and Others​

BREIN has tried multiple times to get Namecheap to block piracy sites and share user details. It argues this is vital in the fight against piracy, citing examples from companies like Google in the Netherlands. However, Namecheap's insistence on a US court order has led BREIN to call it "willfully uncooperative." The frustration is even more intense given the obvious illegality of the sites.

Besides Namecheap, BREIN has also targeted Sarek Oy and 1337 Services (Njalla), the latter linked to a Pirate Bay founder. These companies too have been accused of not blocking pirate sites. Complaints against such companies are common. However, Namecheap's international reach makes its non-cooperation particularly impactful.

Success of Site Blocking Despite Challenges​

BREIN's site-blocking efforts in the Netherlands have been notably successful, even with resistance from companies like Namecheap. Its court-ordered blocks have significantly reduced access to major piracy sites. For example, the number of blocked Pirate Bay domains has dropped from over 200 in 2018 to about 50 now. This success is due to dynamic blocking orders. These orders let BREIN quickly add new sites to the blocklist. The data shows that persistent blocking drives many pirate sites to shut down.

Interestingly, the total number of blocked sites has stayed stable. This suggests that effective blocking reduces active piracy sites. Many proxy and mirror sites eventually give up after being blocked for long periods.

New Threats: AI and Vinyl Piracy​

BREIN's recent report to the EU highlights new piracy trends. One major trend is the rise in counterfeit vinyl records. The vinyl revival has sparked a surge in unauthorized vinyl production. This presents a new challenge for anti-piracy efforts. Today, making and selling counterfeit vinyl is easier than ever.

On the tech side, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a new piracy threat. BREIN has targeted AI-generated datasets that include copyrighted works. The introduction of the European AI Act is seen as a positive move by BREIN. It aims to tackle these new threats with regulatory measures.

Credit to torrentfreak.com like Source: https://torrentfreak.com/namecheap-flagged-for-eu-piracy-watchlist-after-failing-to-block-infringing-sites-240911/

Thanks for reading
 
Top