Italy intensifies crackdown on pay-TV piracy
September 24, 2024
From Branislav Pekic in Rome
Italian authorities are stepping up their efforts to combat subscription-based content piracy, particularly in the realm of sports streaming.
The Communications Regulatory Authority, AgCom, has announced plans to expand its Piracy Shield platform to cover a broader range of content, including cultural events, music and TV series.
The platform was introduced last February to identify and penalise those who watch pirated content. It has already shown significant success in reducing piracy rates, blocking over 1,000 online domains and more than 500 IP addresses associated with illegal streaming activities since the start of the new football season in Italy.
The regulator is also seeking to strengthen its enforcement measures to track down and identify online pirates in collaboration with law enforcement agencies and technology companies. A protocol has been signed with the Guardia di Finanza and Rome’s Public Prosecutor Office, and the regulator is also working closely with Google and Cloudfare.
Authorities will soon have access to the names, surnames, IP addresses, and other identifying details of those who use pirated streaming content. This would enable AgCom to impose fines – ranging from €150 to €15,000, on users who illegally access pirated content – following sanctions introduced by a law approved in July 2023.
These measures are aimed at deterring piracy, protecting the rights of content creators, and ensuring a fair marketplace for legitimate content providers.