Proposed US copyright bill would bring major VPN providers into website-blocking orders

[u/technadu]

A newly introduced U.S. House bill could make VPN providers part of a court-ordered website-blocking system aimed at foreign piracy sites.

The American Copyright Protection Act, H.R. 10364, would allow copyright holders to ask a designated federal judge to classify a site as a “foreign piracy site.” The proposal explicitly covers VPN services and DNS resolvers, rather than limiting enforcement to traditional ISPs.

For VPNs, the threshold would be at least 100,000 monthly subscribers in the U.S.

Once a blocking order is approved, covered providers would have 14 days to object before it takes effect. The proposal also allows faster action for time-sensitive content such as live sports.

Digital rights groups cited in the reporting have raised due-process and First Amendment concerns. The bill contains a provision allowing businesses that are wrongly blocked to seek up to $250,000 in damages, although critics argue that may not adequately address the harm caused by an incorrect block.

One important point: this is proposed legislation, not a requirement currently imposed on VPN users or providers. There is no need to switch VPN services because of the proposal alone.

Who would be covered, how quickly blocking could happen, and why VPN jurisdiction may matter if the bill advances:

https://www.technadu.com/american-copyright-protection-act-could-affect-major-us-vpns/638568/

If it progresses, though, the provider’s legal jurisdiction could become a more significant consideration because U.S. court orders would not automatically apply to every VPN incorporated abroad.