Cyberghost, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, ProtonVPN, and Surfshark will have to block more than 200 pirate sites in France, following a complaint from Canal+ and the LFP.
Canal+ and the LFP have been vindicated. The main VPN providers (Cyberghost, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, ProtonVPN, and Surfshark) will be forced by the courts to block access to 200 illegal domain names in France, reports L'Informé. These are platforms that broadcast sporting events, particularly football, for free.
The Paris judicial court recognized “serious and repeated infringements of exclusive rights” for both parties: the LFP as the rights holder and Canal+ as the broadcaster that acquired broadcasting rights for a fee. In the case of the LFP, 25 sites will have to be blocked by VPN services until the end of the Ligue 1 football season. There is only one matchday left in the league, but the decision also affects promotion and relegation play-off matches, as well as the Champions Trophy.
Canal+ and the LFP secure a victory against VPNs
As for Canal+, around 200 sites are affected, including livetv806.me, rojadirectahdenvivo.com, streamsthunder.tv, rojadirectenvivo.me, yalla-shootv.live, directatvhd.me, drakulatv.eu, soccerbite.net, antenasports.ru, sportsbay.dk, sportsbay.dk, nizarstream.com, and kooralive.pp.ua. The aim here is to protect the broadcaster against piracy of the Premier League football, the Champions League, and the Top 14 rugby league.
Cyberghost, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, ProtonVPN, and Surfshark are required to implement "all measures necessary to prevent" access to all these pirate sites within three days at the latest, the court specifies. The companies behind the VPN services have the option to appeal this decision, as time is running out, with the final matchdays of Ligue 1, the Premier League, and the Champions League final coming up soon.
The proceedings against the VPN providers have been underway for months already. They have defended themselves by arguing that their tools are neutral and not developed for piracy purposes. A few months ago, they even threatened to leave France if the courts forced them to block websites.
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