📰 New article from TorrentFreak
European ISPs Want Rightsholders Held Accountable for Overblocking Damage
https://torrentfreak.com/european-isps-want-rightsholders-held-accountable-for-overblocking-damage/
Ever feel like turning off the Wi-Fi is the only way to escape the internet’s growing pains? You’re not alone. European ISPs are officially sounding the alarm, arguing that the current war on piracy is causing more collateral damage than it prevents.
In a fresh filing to the European Commission, the industry group EuroISPA pointed out a glaring irony: the Commission’s own review showed that blocking measures have had “limited positive effects” on reducing piracy. Yet, governments keep doubling down. The real issue isn’t a lack of laws; it’s how poorly they’re enforced.
The result? A chaotic landscape of overblocking that hurts everyday users. In Italy, aggressive IP-level blocking accidentally locked out thousands of legitimate domains and disrupted email services. In Spain, LaLiga’s blocking orders hit shared IP addresses, leaving millions unable to access banking apps and payment platforms. Even DNS providers like Cisco are pulling out of markets like France and Belgium rather than comply with these broad orders.
EuroISPA’s solution is simple but bold: hold rightsholders accountable. They argue that copyright owners should face financial penalties for the collateral damage caused by their overly broad blocking requests. With some countries requiring blocks to be implemented in under 30 minutes, the burden falls hardest on smaller providers. It’s a clear call for proportionality before the EU expands these powers further.