Latest news with #digitalpiracy
Forbes
08-08-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Massive Piracy Site To Shut Down
The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) has had another win in its fight against digital piracy, succeeding in getting Rare Breed IPTV shut down. The North Carolina-based was one of the world's largest digital piracy operations, and has been operating for years. It offered more than 28,000 live television channels from around the world, along with more than 100,000 movies and series in formats including 4K and HD, all without the consent of the copyright holders. Its packages started from $15.99 per month. With support from its member studios, ACE identified the people behind Rare Breed. And while the service's website is still active, it has now agreed to cease its infringing activities, pay financial compensation and fully cooperate with ACE from now on. "This enforcement action sends a strong message to piracy operators worldwide,' said Larissa Knapp, executive vice president and chief content protection officer of the Motion Picture Association. 'Operating an illegal streaming service comes with serious consequences—including lawsuits, substantial financial penalties, and permanent shutdown.' Set up in 2017, ACE is a coalition of more than 50 media and entertainment companies around the world, including sports channels and associations, with Amazon, Apple TV+, Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, The Walt Disney Studios and Warner Bros Discovery as its current governing board members. Dedicated to protecting the legal creative market, it aims to reduce digital piracy through criminal referrals, civil litigation, and cease-and-desist operations. Over the last few years,ACE has successfully taken down a number of piracy platforms including streaming providers Openload, and Streamango, pirate IPTV service Beast IPTV, the streaming site, and what was the world's largest anime piracy site, It was also involved in the takedown of online subscription-based service Jetflicks, which allowed users to stream and at times download copyrighted television programs without the permission. At one point, Jetflicks claimed to have 183,285 different television episodes available - significantly more than Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, Amazon Prime, or any other licensed streaming service. Late last month, five Nevada men received a final judgment for their part in the operation, giving them prison terms of up to 84 months. 'This scheme generated millions of dollars in criminal profits, and hurt thousands of U.S. companies and individuals who owned the copyrights to these shows but never received a penny in compensation from Jetflicks," said acting assistant attorney general Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department's Criminal Division.
The Verge
07-08-2025
- Politics
- The Verge
Senators are trying to force ISPs to block all foreign pirate sites
Lawmakers have introduced a new bill aimed at countering 'foreign piracy sites,' as reported earlier by TorrentFreak. The bill, called the Block Bad Electronic Art and Recording Distributors (Block BEARD) Act, would allow copyright holders to ask a federal court to block piracy websites. The bipartisan legislation, led by Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Adam Schiff (D-CA), marks yet another effort to block digital piracy in the US. Earlier this year, Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) introduced the Foreign Anti-Digital Piracy Act (FADPA) in January, which would similarly compel ISPs to block foreign piracy websites. Under the Block BEARD Act, a copyright holder who finds infringing materials on a foreign website can ask a court to designate the online location a 'foreign piracy site.' The court will then consider whether the copyright holder is harmed by the infringing material, as well as whether the site is 'primarily designed' for infringing the material in question. If a court gives the website a 'foreign piracy site' designation, copyright holders can petition the court to issue an order forcing ISPs to prevent users in the US from accessing it. It would also give site owners the opportunity to contest the order and 'piracy site' designation. Over a decade ago, efforts to block piracy sites in the US were met with internet-wide blackouts that occurred in protest of proposed laws. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) said earlier this year that site-blocking laws are 'dangerous, unnecessary, and ineffective,' as restricting access to one site can potentially harm thousands of others using the same cloud infrastructure host or IP address. The EFF also points out that site-blocking is 'trivially easy to evade,' as 'determined evaders can create the same content on a new domain within hours,' while users can use a virtual private network (VPN) to regain access. Despite this, Schiff says the Block BEARD Act will 'protect creators and consumers alike from foreign criminal enterprises seeking to steal our intellectual property and exploit Americans.' Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Emma Roth Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Piracy Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Policy Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Politics Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Privacy Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech
South China Morning Post
13-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
From Prada to Samsung and Lego: Vietnam cracks down on fakes after US tariff threat
Vietnam is stepping up its fight against counterfeits and digital piracy after the United States accused the country of being a major hub for these illegal activities and threatened crippling tariffs, documents show. Among products that are subject to increased inspections at borders to ascertain their authenticity are luxury goods from Prada and Gucci owner Kering, electronic devices made by Google and Samsung, and toys from Mattel and Lego, according to a document dated April 1 from the customs department of the finance ministry. Consumer goods such as shampoos and razors sold by Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson products were also included in the list, the document showed. The crackdown focuses on imported counterfeits, not those that could be made in Vietnam, which are also of concern to the administration of US President Donald Trump A clampdown on the use of counterfeit software is also under way, according to a warning from inspectors at the Ministry of Culture sent on April 14 to a local company, whose name was redacted from the document. 08:13 After Vietnam threatened with 46% US tariffs, how will Hanoi strike a deal with Washington? After Vietnam threatened with 46% US tariffs, how will Hanoi strike a deal with Washington? The letter, it says, followed a complaint from the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the industry's global trade association, whose members include Microsoft, Oracle and Adobe.
Free Malaysia Today
13-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Vietnam steps up fight on imported counterfeits amid US tariff talks
The US raised concerns about the ongoing sales of fake luxury goods in malls and online, highlighting Vietnam's role in production. (EPA Images pic) HANOI : Vietnam is stepping up its fight against counterfeits and digital piracy after the US accused the country of being a major hub for these illegal activities and threatened crippling tariffs, documents reviewed by Reuters show. Among products that are subject to increased inspections at borders to ascertain their authenticity are luxury goods from Prada and Gucci owner Kering, electronic devices made by Google and Samsung, and toys from Mattel and Lego, according to a document dated April 1 from the customs department of the finance ministry. Consumer goods such as shampoos and razors sold by Procter & Gamble and Johnson and Johnson products are also included in the list, the document showed. The crackdown focuses on imported counterfeits, not those that could be made in Vietnam, which are also of concern to the administration of US President Donald Trump. A clampdown on the use of counterfeit software is also underway, according to a warning from inspectors at the ministry of culture sent on April 14 to a local company, whose name was redacted from the document seen by Reuters. The letter, it says, followed a complaint from the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the industry's global trade association, whose members include Microsoft, Oracle and Adobe. A person familiar with the matter said similar letters have been sent to dozens of companies since the start of April. Vietnam's finance and culture ministries and the customs department did not reply to requests for comment, nor did any of the mentioned companies. A spokesperson for BSA said it has for years urged Vietnam to monitor and take action against the unauthorised use of software. Vietnam's recent moves are part of an array of measures taken or pledged by the Southeast Asian export-reliant industrial hub to persuade the Trump administration to reconsider punitive tariffs. Vietnam faces duties of 46% on exports to the US, its largest market, if confirmed in July after a global pause. Vietnam and the US began informal talks to avoid tariffs well before Trump announced global 'reciprocal' duties on April 2. Enhanced protection of intellectual property, including the fight against counterfeits and digital piracy, is among the issues being discussed with the US in ongoing tariff talks. Also under discussion are the reduction of Vietnam's big trade surplus, the fight against trade fraud such as illegal transshipment, and lowering tariff and non-tariff barriers for US businesses, according to a person briefed on the matter. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh last month instructed officials to strengthen the fight against trade fraud, 'especially regarding the origin of goods, counterfeit goods.' The measures are meant to please Washington but some may irk China, which is the main source of Vietnam's imports. 'Notorious markets' Despite enhanced controls on imported counterfeits, fake luxury goods targeted by the authorities were on display last week at Saigon Square Shopping Mall in Vietnam's business hub Ho Chi Minh City. The mall is on the list of 'notorious markets for counterfeiting' published in January by the US trade representative. 'They are not authentic and are made in China,' said an attendant in one of the stalls in the market, referring to Prada wallets and bags she's selling. She noted counterfeit Prada belts, also available at her stall, were made in Vietnam. The person declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the subject. Calls to Saigon Square went unanswered. Its website says the mall offers 'imitations of famous brands at low prices'. The USTR removed a Vietnamese marketplace at the border with China from its latest watchlist published in January after a crackdown by local authorities. It praised Vietnam's efforts to combat illegal practices, but also expressed concerns over continuing online sales of counterfeit products and Vietnam's role in producing fakes. The Vietnamese platform of Singapore-based e-commerce giant Shopee remained a major hub for the sale of counterfeits, the USTR said. 'As more brands have shifted production from China to Vietnam, stakeholders report that Vietnam has become a key manufacturer of counterfeit products,' the USTR said in a separate report published in April. The USTR and Shopee did not reply to requests for comment. To improve copyright protection Vietnam is planning to set up specialised courts 'to fulfil Vietnam's commitment… to strictly enforce intellectual property rights' and attract foreign investment, according to a draft law reviewed by Reuters scheduled to be approved by parliament in June.
Reuters
13-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Exclusive: Vietnam cranks up fight on imported counterfeits amid US tariff talks
HANOI, May 13 (Reuters) - Vietnam is stepping up its fight against counterfeits and digital piracy after the United States accused the country of being a major hub for these illegal activities and threatened crippling tariffs, documents reviewed by Reuters show. Among products that are subject to increased inspections at borders to ascertain their authenticity are luxury goods from Prada (1913.F), opens new tab and Gucci owner Kering ( opens new tab, electronic devices made by Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab and Samsung ( opens new tab, and toys from Mattel (MAT.O), opens new tab and Lego, according to a document dated April 1 from the customs department of the finance ministry. Consumer goods such as shampoos and razors sold by Procter & Gamble (PG.N), opens new tab and Johnson and Johnson (JNJ.N), opens new tab products are also included in the list, the document showed. The crackdown focuses on imported counterfeits, not those that could be made in Vietnam, which are also of concern to the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. A clampdown on the use of counterfeit software is also underway, according to a warning from inspectors at the Ministry of Culture sent on April 14 to a local company, whose name was redacted from the document seen by Reuters. The letter, it says, followed a complaint from the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the industry's global trade association, whose members include Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab, Oracle (ORCL.N), opens new tab and Adobe (ADBE.O), opens new tab. A person familiar with the matter said similar letters have been sent to dozens of companies since the start of April. Vietnam's finance and culture ministries and the customs department did not reply to requests for comment, nor did any of the mentioned companies. A spokesperson for BSA said it has for years urged Vietnam to monitor and take action against the unauthorised use of software. Vietnam's recent moves are part of an array of measures taken or pledged by the Southeast Asian export-reliant industrial hub to persuade the Trump administration to reconsider punitive tariffs. Vietnam faces duties of 46% on exports to the U.S., its largest market, if confirmed in July after a global pause. Vietnam and the U.S. began informal talks to avoid tariffs well before Trump announced global "reciprocal" duties on April 2. Enhanced protection of intellectual property, including the fight against counterfeits and digital piracy, is among the issues being discussed with the U.S. in ongoing tariff talks. Also under discussion are the reduction of Vietnam's big trade surplus, the fight against trade fraud such as illegal transshipment, and lowering tariff and non-tariff barriers for U.S. businesses, according to a person briefed on the matter. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh last month instructed officials to strengthen the fight against trade fraud, "especially regarding the origin of goods, counterfeit goods." The measures are meant to please Washington but some may irk China, which is the main source of Vietnam's imports. Despite enhanced controls on imported counterfeits, fake luxury goods targeted by the authorities were on display last week at Saigon Square Shopping Mall in Vietnam's business hub Ho Chi Minh City. The mall is on the list of "notorious markets for counterfeiting" published in January by the U.S. Trade Representative. "They are not authentic and are made in China," said an attendant in one of the stalls in the market, referring to Prada wallets and bags she's selling. She noted counterfeit Prada belts, also available at her stall, were made in Vietnam. The person declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the subject. Calls to Saigon Square went unanswered. Its website, opens new tab says the mall offers "imitations of famous brands at low prices". The USTR removed a Vietnamese marketplace at the border with China from its latest watchlist published in January after a crackdown by local authorities. It praised Vietnam's efforts to combat illegal practices, but also expressed concerns over continuing online sales of counterfeit products and Vietnam's role in producing fakes. The Vietnamese platform of Singapore-based e-commerce giant Shopee remained a major hub for the sale of counterfeits, the USTR said. "As more brands have shifted production from China to Vietnam, stakeholders report that Vietnam has become a key manufacturer of counterfeit products," the USTR said in a separate report published in April. The USTR and Shopee did not reply to requests for comment. To improve copyright protection Vietnam is planning to set up specialised courts "to fulfil Vietnam's commitment... to strictly enforce intellectual property rights" and attract foreign investment, according to a draft law reviewed by Reuters scheduled to be approved by parliament in June.
