Cloudflare Reports Surge in Streaming Piracy Takedowns, Removes 20k+ Storage Accounts

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Cloudflare Reports Surge in Streaming Piracy Takedowns, Removes 20k+ Storage Accounts

https://torrentfreak.com/cloudflare-reports-surge-in-streaming-piracy-takedowns-removes-20k-storage-accounts/

Here’s your punchy, newsletter-ready take:

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Cloudflare just went from “passive middleman” to piracy cop—by accident?

Remember when Cloudflare just shrugged and forwarded copyright complaints? Yeah, that’s over. In the first half of 2025 alone, they axed over 54,000 hosting takedowns—a 3,800% spike from last year. What changed? They gave copyright holders API access. Suddenly, studios and sports leagues could auto-blast takedown requests faster than a DVR can skip ads.

The result? Over 21,000 R2 storage accounts deleted—mostly automated. And it’s not just about deleting files. Cloudflare’s now geo-blocking pirate streams in France, and even voluntarily blocking UK piracy sites (with a polite 451 “This site is blocked by court order” sign). Smart. Targeted. Not the nuclear option.

But here’s the twist: They’re still refusing to block DNS—because breaking the internet’s backbone isn’t in their job description. And they’re calling out LaLiga for causing collateral damage, blocking thousands of unrelated sites just to stop a football stream. Oof.

Cloudflare’s new mantra? “We’ll help you clean up piracy—but we won’t become the internet’s firewall.”

Good luck, Hollywood. You’ve got a new gatekeeper—and he’s got an API.

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