Since the end of 2022, Arcom has blocked 166 domain names of sites that host pirated content

Since October 2022, Arcom has blocked 166 domain names of sites hosting pirated content, as part of its new prerogatives that allow it to act against illegal “mirror” sites without a new court decision, Arcom announced.

“Between October 2022 and April 2023, the rights holders sent around forty references to Arcom, which represents a total of 166 domain names, which were notified to internet service providers”, specifies the audiovisual gendarme and the internet in a press release.

Among them are very popular streaming sites like “cpasmieux” or “frenchstream”.

Awareness campaign since mid-June

From 2021, Arcom can be seized to block services that contain illegal content from sites already sentenced by the courts. And this without further intervention by the judge, which expedites the procedures.

Arcom will launch an awareness campaign on the subject from mid-June (television, radio, cinema, platforms and social networks).

If streaming sites are often blocked from performing, on the other hand, live movie download sites, aimed at more tech-savvy internet users, continue to replicate and move quickly.

“Relying on strong brands for several years, they can, almost instantly after being blocked, create new mirror sites and distribute the domain name,” laments Arcom.

Few blocked Internet users resort to the legal offer

“The blocking measures are still insufficient for the moment on direct download services such as wawacity, zoneannonce or zonetelechargement,” acknowledges Arcom, while arguing that its action is beginning to have an impact on illegal practices.

A first global report indicates, according to a Médiamétrie survey, that “during the last six months, 38% of Internet users with illegal practices admit to having been confronted with a blocking of an illegal cultural service.”

“Given this situation, 7% of the Internet users affected declare that they have resorted to the legal offer and 46% have abandoned their search. On the other hand, 6% have sought to circumvent the blockade and 41% have referred to other illegal services,” according to this survey carried out using the quota method with a representative sample of 2,000 Internet users aged 15 or over.