Major entertainment companies, including key players in the anime industry, have met with U.S. Congressman Darrell Issa to discuss tackling online piracy. Issa emphasized that blocking foreign piracy sites is a matter of “when, not if.”
The private meeting, held at the Millennium Biltmore hotel in Los Angeles, involved representatives from companies like Amazon, Disney, and the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which advocates for industry interests including those of Warner Bros. Discovery. Issa’s discussions focused on the growing challenge of digital piracy, particularly from overseas, and the controversial idea of blocking access to piracy sites.
Foreign piracy websites often operate from countries with weak copyright laws, making enforcement difficult. These sites can easily move to new domains, as seen with the shift from Aniwatch to HiAnime. Blocking access would require internet service providers (ISPs) to deny access to these sites for U.S. customers. DNS resolution providers would also block access to the site’s IP address.
Issa shared that the meeting was productive, with most parties reaching a consensus on the issue. He stated that a global solution was needed, and plans to introduce a bill, the American Copyright Protection Act, to address piracy more effectively.
The timing of the meeting is significant, as entertainment companies have long pushed for site-blocking laws, which have faced criticism for concerns over censorship. Notably, companies like Google have opposed previous bills, such as SOPA and PIPA, which were seen as overreaching. However, Google has supported anti-piracy measures in the past, including Issa’s 2012 bill aimed at cutting off funding to piracy sites.
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren has also introduced an anti-piracy bill, aiming to clarify the definition of piracy sites and protect ISPs from liability if they block such sites under court orders. Issa’s bill and Lofgren’s proposal are seen as complementary, with both agreeing that action against piracy is inevitable, leaving only the question of how to implement it.
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