The movie industry is calling for stricter anti-piracy rules across Europe. Following similar demands by sports streamers, the Motion Picture Association (MPA) — which represents Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros., and other major studios — now wants all online service providers to help stop illegal streaming.
In a letter to the European Commission on May 25, 2025, the MPA asked EU nations to adopt automated systems that can block pirated content in real time, without the need for court approval. The group emphasized that blocking must extend beyond internet service providers (ISPs) to include VPNs, DNS providers, proxies, CDNs, and even search engines.
A Push for Real-Time Enforcement
The MPA argues that the current EU legal framework offers some tools to fight piracy, but enforcement is inconsistent across member states. The group says better cooperation and faster action are especially critical for protecting live content.
“MPA is supportive of automated site-blocking mechanisms that can be updated in real-time,” the group stated, pointing to similar systems already working in Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Brazil.
To succeed, the MPA insists that not just ISPs, but also intermediaries like reverse proxies, content delivery networks, and VPN services must participate in blocking access to pirated material.
VPNs and DNS Services Push Back
VPNs and DNS services warn that this approach could damage the very infrastructure that supports a free and open internet.
DNS servers — which translate website names into IP addresses — and CDNs — which route internet traffic efficiently — are essential to how the internet functions. VPNs, on the other hand, help users hide their real IP address, often to protect privacy or bypass censorship.
Rights-holders say these tools are now being used by pirates to avoid detection. “Failing to involve these actors undermines the effectiveness of dynamic blocking,” the MPA claims.
But providers like Cloudflare disagree. The company warns that blocking websites on the network level can cause serious collateral damage, including internet outages and overblocking. Italy’s “Piracy Shield” system, for example, reportedly caused disruptions on services like Google Drive.
Cloudflare called network blocking “a form of internet censorship” and said it is not a viable solution.
Legal Tensions Mount Across Europe
Tensions have increased after a French court recently ordered five VPN providers to block access to 203 sports streaming domains. Italy is also preparing to expand anti-piracy rules to include DNS and VPN providers.
However, VPN companies argue that these decisions create a “dangerous precedent.” They warn that such rules could harm users who rely on VPNs for legitimate reasons, such as privacy, security, and accessing restricted content in oppressive regimes.
The debate now centers on whether the fight against piracy justifies changes that may reshape how digital privacy and open internet principles are handled in Europe.
