Cloudflare threatens Italy exit over €14M fine

4 months ago

Cloudflare threatens to exit Italy over a €14 million fine imposed by AGCOM for non-compliance with Italy's 'Piracy Shield' anti-piracy system.
The fine represents 1% of Cloudflare's global revenue, sparking CEO Matthew Prince to call it disproportionate and criticize AGCOM's lack of due process.
Cloudflare argues that blocking content via DNS is technically impractical and could cause collateral damage, citing past incidents like the accidental blocking of Google Drive.
The company threatens to withdraw its services, including cybersecurity for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, highlighting Italy's dependence on American tech infrastructure.
The conflict underscores broader issues of digital sovereignty, with Europe struggling to assert control over digital infrastructure dominated by U.S. companies.
European alternatives like OVHcloud, Bunny.net, and Myra Security are presented as viable options to reduce reliance on American tech giants.
The outcome could set a precedent for internet governance, testing Europe's resolve to invest in its own digital infrastructure.

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