The Motion Picture Association (MPA) announced in April 2024 that it would work with members of Congress to pursue U.S. legislation allowing court-ordered blocking of websites dedicated to sharing illegal content. That was an announcement of intent—not evidence that a law was enacted. The original headline’s “movie privacy” appears to be a typo: the issue was movie piracy.
What did the MPA propose?
At CinemaCon on April 9, 2024, MPA Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin said the association would pursue legislation with Congress to enable judicial site-blocking in the United States. He described a process in which creative industries could ask a court to order internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to websites dedicated to sharing illegal content. Rivkin called it “a targeted, legal tactic to disrupt the connection between digital pirates and their intended audience.” Read Rivkin’s prepared remarks.
Rivkin said the process would require detailed evidence and give alleged perpetrators an opportunity to appear in court. Those are the MPA’s descriptions of the safeguards it envisioned. No proposed bill text is available in the cited material, so the precise legal standard, procedure, and scope of any order cannot be assessed from the announcement.
Did the announcement mean piracy websites would be blocked?
No. Rivkin announced an effort to pursue legislation; the cited sources do not establish that Congress enacted such a law. Nor do they establish the current legislative status. The announcement and its coverage should therefore be understood as a policy proposal, not as a new blocking requirement already in force. Tech Times reported on the announcement.
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What arguments did the MPA make?
Rivkin argued that online piracy harms theatrical business and pointed to FMovies as an example of a site that could still reach U.S. users despite blocking in other countries. He said piracy costs theaters more than $1 billion in theatrical box-office sales in an average year, and cited over 160 million visits per month for FMovies, with one third of its traffic coming from the United States. These are claims Rivkin made in his 2024 remarks, not independently verified or current measurements.
Why did opponents object?
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) argues that site-blocking laws threaten due process and lawful speech, and points to public opposition that helped stop SOPA and PIPA. EFF’s position on internet blacklists frames the issue as a risk that blocking powers could reach beyond clearly illegal material.
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Public Knowledge’s April 9, 2024 response warned that orders could affect broadband, DNS, and other infrastructure providers, and that restricting access to sites accused of infringement could interfere with online communication. These are the organization’s concerns about how a law might operate, rather than findings about a specific enacted statute. Read Public Knowledge’s response.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What details remain unresolved?
The MPA’s announcement and the cited objections describe competing positions, but they do not provide draft statutory language or an independent assessment resolving the dispute. Important questions include:
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- Who could request a block: The MPA described creative industries seeking orders, but the announcement does not specify who would qualify under legislation.
- What a court would require: The MPA said detailed evidence and an opportunity to appear in court would be part of the process. The sources do not define the evidentiary threshold, notice rules, or appeal procedure.
- Which services would have to act: The MPA referred to ISPs, while Public Knowledge warned about effects on broadband, DNS, and other infrastructure providers. The available statements do not establish which providers a bill would cover.
- How mistaken or overbroad blocks could be challenged: The MPA cited court involvement as a safeguard, while opponents raised due-process concerns. The sources do not describe a remedy or correction process.
- How lawful speech would be protected: The organizations disagree about the risk to legitimate communication, and the available material does not settle how legislation would distinguish infringing sites from lawful content or links.
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