Real-time IP blocking against pirate IPTV in France during the World Cup

A major threat is looming for anyone using pirate services.

As announced, a powerful new anti-IPTV weapon is being rolled out in France during the World Cup. If you have not come across it yet, it is the real-time blocking of the IP addresses used by pirate streams, operating throughout the tournament and for this evening’s Argentina–England match.

Real-time IPTV IP blocking in France: how it works

In practical terms, illegal IPTV servers and pirate streaming sites can be taken offline immediately. Broadcasters (M6 and beIN Sports), internet service providers, and the Audiovisual and Digital Communication Regulatory Authority (Arcom) are already trialling this tool.

More specifically, rights holders will actively monitor and identify pirate services. Once detected, ISPs will be required to block the relevant IP address at their request, while Arcom will oversee the entire process. As a result, subscribers to illegal services could see a live match cut off mid-stream.

Quoted by Radio France, Arcom deputy director general Pauline Combredet-Blassel describes the approach as follows: “The point of IP blocking is that it targets the servers. Once you hit the source, it’s much harder to create new platforms.” She adds that while it may be easy to generate “as many internet addresses as you want, once the servers are no longer accessible, it’s much harder to replicate.”

beIN Sports wants the blocking to go further

beIN appears to welcome these measures, but is pushing for an even tougher approach. Sarah D’Arifat, the channel’s legal director, notes: “Today, in Spain, they block 10,000 addresses for pirate services in a single matchday. That’s what we block in France in a year.”

Risky blocks?

Against that backdrop, beIN is calling for automated blocking that would not rely on human intervention. French lawmakers seem fairly open to the idea, as a proposed law is set to be examined by the National Assembly in three weeks.

Appealing as automation may be for rights holders, it also carries risks: a single server can host illegal sites alongside completely lawful services that citizens rely on. We highlighted last year the issues seen in Spain after it adopted a similar strategy, where the measure unintentionally affected many legitimate sites and platforms hosted by the same provider.

An increasing number of companies and users are protesting, denouncing unjustified outages that infringe certain fundamental rights. Quoted by El Pais, Ofelia Tejerina, a lawyer and president of the Association of Internet Users, is blunt: “It affects freedom of information, freedom of expression, and freedom to do business.” More information on this can be found in our previous article.