Spain Takes Action Against Piracy: NordVPN and ProtonVPN Ordered to Block LaLiga Sites

Spain orders NordVPN and ProtonVPN to block LaLiga stream piracy

Recently, a Spanish court made a significant decision by granting precautionary measures against two popular VPN providers, NordVPN and ProtonVPN. The court ordered these providers to block 16 websites that are known to facilitate the piracy of football matches, particularly those from LaLiga.

The restrictions imposed on NordVPN and ProtonVPN will be applicable to a dynamic list of IP addresses in Spain. Interestingly, there will be no room for appeals in this case. The measures were implemented ‘inaudita parte’, which means that the defendants were not given the chance to participate in a hearing.

LaLiga, the professional football organizer in Spain, along with its broadcasting partner, Telefónica, are mandated to preserve sufficient digital evidence of any unlawful transmission of protected content.

LaLiga has been actively combating piracy in recent years, previously targeting Cloudflare for allegedly facilitating illegal sports streaming activities. The recent ruling has categorized VPN providers under the EU Digital Services Regulation, making them responsible for preventing copyright infringement carried out through their platforms.

According to LaLiga, VPN systems are deemed as effective tools for enabling access to content that may be geographically restricted. These systems distort the actual location of online access, making it easier to access websites that illegally broadcast protected content.

The court ruling in Spain is considered unprecedented and is likened to similar decisions in France. LaLiga celebrates the recognition of VPN providers’ liability for piracy in this case.

In response to the ruling, ProtonVPN expressed confusion and claimed a lack of awareness regarding the proceedings. They emphasized the importance of due process, stating that any judicial order issued without proper notification to the affected parties would be procedurally invalid.

NordVPN, on the other hand, denied any involvement in legal proceedings in Spain. They highlighted the need for targeting hosting providers to address the root cause of piracy, as blocking domains may not be as effective in curbing illegal activities.

NordVPN emphasized the importance of targeting hosting providers to eliminate the source of illegal content. They also pointed out that free VPN services pose a challenge in regulating piracy, as they continue to operate largely unchecked.