The Motion Pictures Association (MPA), representing top entertainment companies such as Netflix, Disney, Amazon, and Sony, is supporting a new U.S. bill aimed at cracking down on foreign piracy websites. Known as the Foreign Anti-Digital Piracy Act (FADPA), the proposed legislation could give copyright holders the power to block access to illegal online platforms operating outside the United States.
Overview of FADPA
On January 29, 2025, U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren introduced H.R. 791, a bill that targets websites and apps distributing pirated content. The bill allows copyright holders and exclusive licensees to petition U.S. District Courts to issue orders compelling service providers—such as Google, Cloudflare, and major internet service providers (ISPs)—to block access to these foreign piracy sites. The goal is to disrupt illegal content distribution while protecting legitimate online access.
Before a blocking order is issued, the court will assess whether it might unintentionally hinder access to legitimate content or disrupt service providers’ operations. Foreign platforms that are accused of piracy will have 30 days to respond. If no response is received, the court may move ahead with the blocking process.
How the Blocking Orders Will Work
Once the court validates the petitioner’s claims, it can issue a blocking order. Service providers would have up to 15 days to comply with the order, with a possible extension of five days. For live events, such as concerts or sports broadcasts, the response time is much shorter—only seven days. Blocking orders are initially valid for one year, with the possibility of extending them if the foreign site continues to infringe copyright.
FADPA also allows the modification of orders if piracy websites try to evade enforcement by rebranding, as demonstrated by Aniwatch’s shift to HiAnime last year.
Which Service Providers Are Affected?
The bill targets U.S.-based service providers that have significant reach, such as ISPs with over 100,000 subscribers and DNS providers generating more than $100 million in annual revenue. Companies like Comcast, AT&T, Cloudflare, and Google would be directly impacted, as they have frequently been involved in handling takedown requests for pirated content.
FADPA defines foreign piracy websites as those operated by individuals or entities outside the U.S. with the sole purpose of distributing illegal content. This includes websites that have no legitimate business operations other than facilitating piracy.
Restrictions and Technical Concerns
FADPA includes safeguards to address concerns about potential overreach. For instance, the bill explicitly prohibits blocking access to sites through virtual private networks (VPNs), allowing users to bypass restrictions. Additionally, the bill avoids specifying the exact technical methods for implementing blocking orders, leaving this decision up to service providers. This flexibility is designed to allow companies to choose the least disruptive methods while maintaining the stability and security of the internet.
To protect service providers, the bill grants legal immunity for those who comply with court orders. Providers cannot be held liable for damages from foreign sites or their users, nor can they be accused of facilitating piracy simply because they followed a blocking order.
Providers can also temporarily suspend blocking orders to maintain network integrity or investigate whether the block affected other sites by mistake.
Transparency and Public Access
FADPA requires courts to make blocking orders publicly available. This will include key details such as the petitioner’s name, the blocked website, and the duration of the order. However, if releasing certain information would jeopardize national security, safety, or ongoing investigations, the court can redact specific details. Updates to the blocking orders will also be published to ensure transparency.
Broad Industry Support
FADPA has gained significant backing from major organizations within the entertainment and creative sectors. The MPA, which represents companies like Disney, Netflix, and Warner Bros. Discovery, has been vocal in supporting the bill. Charles Rivkin, the MPA’s CEO, commended Congresswoman Lofgren for introducing the bill and expressed confidence that it would provide creators with much-needed tools to fight piracy.
Other groups, such as SAG-AFTRA, the Authors Guild, and IATSE, also support the bill, viewing it as an important step in protecting intellectual property and curbing the financial damage caused by piracy.
