📰 New article from TorrentFreak
Google, Cloudflare, Cisco Lose Pirate Site DNS Blocking Appeal in France
https://torrentfreak.com/google-cloudflare-cisco-lose-pirate-site-dns-blocking-appeal-in-france/
French Court Shuts Down Google, Cloudflare & Cisco’s DNS Blocking Appeal — and Sets a Precedent
In a major win for copyright holders, France’s Paris Court of Appeal has rejected appeals from Google, Cloudflare, and Cisco over orders to block pirate sites via their DNS resolvers. This marks the first time a French appeals court has validated such measures under Article L. 333-10 of the French Sport Code — a law that allows rightsholders to demand “proportionate measures” from any online entity capable of preventing access to infringing content.
The case stems from Canal+’s push to close a loophole: while ISPs had long blocked pirate domains, users easily bypassed the restrictions by switching to third-party DNS services like Google’s 8.8.8.8 or Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1. In response, courts ordered these tech giants to block access — prompting Cisco to pull its OpenDNS service entirely from France.
All three companies argued they were merely “neutral” intermediaries — like digital address books — and that enforcing geo-blocking would be too costly or technically burdensome. But the court wasn’t impressed:
- Neutral function ≠ exemption from blocking duties
- Effectiveness doesn’t require perfection — even partial deterrence counts
- Cost claims lacked evidence, especially since all three already offer filtering for enterprise clients
The ruling paves the way for broader anti-piracy tactics, including upcoming automated IP blocking ahead of major events like the FIFA World Cup and Roland Garros. And yes — VPNs are next on the chopping block.
A sign that France’s fight against online piracy is entering a new, more ambitious phase. 🇫🇷⚖️