Tech Industry Warns of Piracy Blocking Risks as FIFA World Cup Kicks Off

8 hours ago

The 2026 FIFA World Cup began with Mexico vs. South Africa, featuring a record 48 countries and 104 matches, making it the largest live broadcast event in soccer history, with around $4 billion in broadcasting rights at stake.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) Europe released a document titled 'Fighting Piracy Without Breaking the Internet,' criticizing IP address and DNS-based blocking as too broad, risking overblocking of legal services and businesses.
CCIA warns against privatized, automated site blocking during major sports events, emphasizing the need for lawful, proportionate enforcement with independent judicial oversight to avoid harming innocent users and infrastructure.
Research from copyright scholars supports CCIA's concerns, noting that blocking effectively reduces piracy but risks turning private rightsholders into 'de facto regulators' with too much power over internet traffic, as seen in a Barcelona court order.
Recent overblocking incidents in Spain and Italy, such as temporary blocks on Redsys payment platform and Google Drive, highlight collateral damage from aggressive anti-piracy measures, with CDN, DNS, and VPN providers facing liability challenges.
Site blocking is now common globally with varying oversight, and as enforcement calls grow, there are concerns about a slippery slope in expanding blocking powers, with the U.S. Congress set to debate blocking legislation later this year.

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