Anti-piracy efforts are drafting virtual private networks (VPNs) and domain name systems (DNS) into the war against illegal IPTV providers.
Italy’s Piracy Shield says VPNs and DNS services must comply with the same blocking orders as internet service providers, according to Torrent Freak.
The request for VPNs and DNS services to crack down on illegal IPTV services is the latest in government agencies and law enforcement’s seemingly endless global war on piracy.
Just last week, a massive anti-piracy initiative took down over 600 illegal IPTV services and websites. Media and tech companies are also shoring up their defenses. Last month, reports said Google is making it harder to find illegal sites through the search engine.
Because VPNs encrypt your internet connection and hide your IP address, pirates have used networks to help them stay off law enforcement’s radar. Although DNS can be used to fight online piracy, they can also be exploited to aid infringers.
A document from Italy’s Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni (Authority for Communications Guarantees, or simply AGCOM) said blocking restrictions would extend to “[p]roviders of network access services, search engine operators, and providers of information society services involved in any capacity in the accessibility of the illegal website or services.”
The notice goes on to name VPN and DNS services specifically saying “providers will have to execute the blocks requested by [AGCOM] including through accreditation to the Piracy Shield platform or otherwise implementing measures that prevent the user from reaching that content.”
It remains to be seen how VPN and DNS providers will respond to AGCOM’s plan.