Currently, if a content owner wants to take down an illegal live stream, they have to file a copyright claim known as a DMCA. Now, though, the NFL, NBA, and UFC say the process is too slow and want the takedowns to become instant.
To do this, the NFL, NBA, and UFC have filed a request for the federal government to update the DMC rules to require instant takedowns after a DMCA complaint is filled. This was spotted by Torrent Freak, who tracks these fillings.
The complaint by the UFC, NBA, and NHL says that streaming services and internet service providers can take hours to take down a stream and they want it faster. “Unfortunately, UFC, NBAP and NFLP’s shared experience is that many OSPs frequently take hours or even days to remove content in response to takedown notices—thus allowing infringing live content to remain online during the most anticipated moments, or even the entirety, of a UFC event or an NBA or NFL game.”
In the filing, the group of sports owners are asking for ‘instantaneously or near-instantaneously’ takedowns of live streams. This idea is not new as Italy recently created a law that requires takedowns within 30 minutes.
According to the letter, live streams of sporting events from places like IPTV services cost the sports industry up to $28 billion in potential annual revenue.
Currently, this is just a request from the sports leagues to see the laws change to make DMCA even faster. Congress will need to propose a law change and vote it into law. This is just the first step in what will likely be a long fight to change DMCA rules.