Analysis: Site-blocking not the way to combat online piracy
An opinion piece in Advanced Television argues that site-blocking isn’t an effective way to fight online piracy and carries significant risks if adopted as policy. The article notes that new U.S. bills would require internet service providers (ISPs) to block foreign piracy sites and IP addresses, but critics say such measures could lead to overblocking that unintentionally restricts lawful content and gives too much control over information flow to authorities. It recalls the fierce backlash against past U.S. proposals like SOPA/PIPA, which were opposed for similar free-speech concerns, and highlights that blocking pirate sites at the ISP level can also produce collateral damage when entire domains or shared IP spaces are taken down. Opponents argue that dynamic evasion by pirates and the technical difficulties of distinguishing infringing from legitimate content make site blocking a whack-a-mole approach that fails to address underlying causes of digital piracy.
