CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, ProtonVPN, Surfshark VPNs Ordered to Block More Pirate Sites

• VPN restrictions: CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, ProtonVPN, and Surfshark are required to block more pirate platforms.
• Anti-piracy court order: The aim is to prevent users from bypassing traditional ISP blocks.
• Request source: Rights holders, including beIN and Canal+, want to block pirate sports streaming sites, mainly for F1 and Ligue 1 matches.

A recent French court VPN order mandates leading VPN providers to block access to five more pirate websites. This decision aims to counter escalating piracy streaming challenges, particularly in sports and entertainment.  

The news follows a February request asking NordVPN, ExpressVPN, ProtonVPN, Cyberghost, and Surfshark to start blocking pirate websites.

The Court’s Decision  

The Paris Judicial Court upheld requests from rights holders, including beIN and Canal+, to restrict access to domains facilitating unauthorized streams of sports events such as Formula 1 and Ligue 1 matches, citing Article L. 333-10 of the French Sports Code – which was also invoked for Google and Cloudflare DNS blocking last year.

VPN providers such as CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, ProtonVPN, and Surfshark are required to block these platforms to prevent users from bypassing traditional Internet Service Provider (ISP) blocks.  

The July 18 ruling directed some VPN services to implement blocking measures against multiple domains hosting illegal streams.

However, not all requests were approved. Notably, Canal+ faced rejections for 11 domains due to insufficient evidence tying those sites solely to their broadcast feeds.  

Implications for VPN Compliance  

The ruling underscores tightening cybersecurity laws and places VPN providers under increased scrutiny. The compliance burden raises concerns over technical feasibility, operational costs, and future repercussions on user privacy. 

VPN companies argue that blocking measures are disproportionately complex and contradict principles of unrestricted service access.  

Industry Response  

Several VPN providers, including ProtonVPN, are reportedly considering an appeal and questioning the legal alignment of the ruling with broader EU regulations.  

In October 2024, AAPA’s Push for enhanced anti-piracy blocking targeted Browsers and VPNs. 

VPN providers contemplated leaving France in February amid these disputed site blocking regulations. Also, in May, Google was asked to join Italy's anti-piracy initiative with public DNS blocking.

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