● Covered by 2 sources · 2 reportsMedium impact1 negative1 neutral
Republican Bill Proposes Mandating ISPs, DNS Providers, and VPNs Block Piracy Sites
Key points
- Rep. Darrell Issa proposed a bill for blocking foreign piracy sites.
- The bill mandates ISPs, DNS providers, and VPNs to comply with blocking orders.
- It seeks to speed up copyright enforcement for rights holders.
- Opponents argue it could lead to broad censorship and affect small businesses.
- The bill is named the American Copyright Protection Act of 2026 (ACPA) and is H.R. 10364.
- Blocking orders would apply in 14 to 30 days.
- Time-sensitive events like live-streaming can shorten the blocking deadline if content appears within 24 hours of going live.
Proposed Site-Blocking Legislation
US Representative Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) has introduced a bill that would compel Internet service providers (ISPs), domain name resolution services, and virtual private networks (VPNs) to block access to foreign piracy websites. This proposal would establish a mechanism for copyright holders to obtain judicial blocking orders, which these network operators would then be required to implement.
Motivation for the Bill
Issa, who is retiring from the House, is the latest lawmaker to propose a site-blocking regime, a measure sought by the Motion Picture Association (MPA). He indicated his intention to introduce such legislation during a June 30 hearing. Issa stated that while the Digital Millennium Copyright Act's notice-and-takedown process removes millions of infringing listings daily, rights holders are concerned about the speed of enforcement, especially for time-sensitive content like live sports broadcasts.
Arguments for and Against
Issa argued that online piracy contributes to funding terrorist groups and other criminal networks. Conversely, advocacy groups opposing the bill, such as Public Knowledge, contend that it would establish a broad censorship regime. Meredith Rose, senior policy counsel at Public Knowledge, stated that site-blocking orders would force service providers to disrupt traffic to websites merely accused of copyright infringement, potentially impacting small businesses falsely implicated.
Updates
- The bill is named the American Copyright Protection Act of 2026 (ACPA) and is H.R. 10364.
- Blocking orders would apply in 14 to 30 days.
- Time-sensitive events like live-streaming can shorten the blocking deadline if content appears within 24 hours of going live.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
The American Copyright Protection Act of 2026 (ACPA) has been introduced in the U.S. Congress, requiring ISPs, DNS services, and VPNs to block foreign websites hosting pirated content. This bill introduces new obligations for internet infrastructure providers to enforce copyright, potentially complicating internet access and privacy for users within the United States.
US Representative Darrell Issa introduced a bill requiring internet service providers, DNS services, and VPNs to block foreign piracy websites based on judicial orders. This legislation aims to accelerate copyright enforcement for rights holders, particularly for live content, but faces opposition over concerns about censorship and potential disruption to legitimate businesses.