📰 New article from TorrentFreak
Anna’s Archive Hit With $19.5m Default Judgment and Global Domain Takedown Order
If you enjoy free access to millions of pirated books, you might want to keep your bookmarks handy—but maybe don’t get too comfortable.
A New York federal court just handed a massive win to publishing giants like Penguin Random House and HarperCollins. Because the operators of Anna’s Archive failed to show up in court to defend themselves, a judge issued a default judgment that includes a staggering $19.5 million damages award.
While that price tag sounds eye-watering, it’s likely more “paper victory” than actual cash. Since the site’s owners are anonymous and notoriously difficult to catch, collecting that money will be an uphill battle.
The real sting, however, is the global takedown order. The court didn’t just go after the site; it went after the plumbing. A permanent injunction now orders domain registries and hosting providers—including big names like Cloudflare—to disable access to Anna’s Archive domains.
Will it work? It’s a toss-up. While American companies will likely comply, many of the targeted intermediaries are international entities that often ignore U.S. court orders. Expect a digital game of whack-a-mole to begin.