Big UK Broadband ISPs Block 5 More Video Streaming Piracy Websites

Major Internet providers in the United Kingdom have this week started to block (censor) access to another five online TV and Movie streaming websites including Yify-Torrents, Project-Free TV, Primewire, Vodly and Watchfreemovies.

As usual the move follows two earlier rulings in London’s High Court, which handed out court orders under Section 97A of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act. At the time Lord Justice Arnold warned that BT, Virgin Media, Sky Broadband and TalkTalk all needed to impose the blocks before the end of November 2013.

Chris Marcich, MPA’s President (EMEA), said:

“We have an obligation to take action against illegal websites that steal content and refuse to take it down when asked to by the owners of that material. The growth of the legal online market is held back by illegitimate sites. Legitimate content markets help everyone.

We want an Internet that works for everyone, where the creative property of artists and creators is protected along with the privacy and security of all users. The Internet must be a place for investment, innovation and creativity and today’s verdict represents a step towards realising this.”

A similar ruling last month confirmed that two further streaming sites, SolarMovie and Tubeplus, would also have to be blocked by early December 2013 (here). Meanwhile critics of website blocking systems frequently warn that such approaches remain both easy to circumvent and may thus only serve to promote the existence of such websites.