The French Parliament has updated existing law to permit an automated notification process to notify ISPs to “ensure the implementation “of measures to prevent, during the live broadcast of the event or sports competition, access to online communication services to the public…”
Chapter III, Article 10, of the law titled “Strengthen the fight against the piracy of sports content” permits the use “(an) automated system placed under the control and responsibility of the Audiovisual and Digital Communication Regulatory Authority (ARCOM) so that these persons carry out without delay the measures ordered with regard to these services for the entire duration of the live broadcast of the event or sports competition.”
The burden of proof is placed on the rights holders, to “certify by any means that the services whose blocking is requested without delay unlawfully broadcast the competition or sporting event or have such a broadcast as their main objective or among their main objectives,” and to maintain records that justify the request.
The law also specifies harsh penalties for pirates: “The design, editing or making available to the public, for consideration or free of charge, a communication service to the online public broadcasting a competition or sporting event, without the authorization, is punishable by three years’ imprisonment and a fine of 300,000 euros…” If the piracy operation is run by “an organized gang,” the penalties increase to seven years and 750,000 euros.
Why it matters
Before these new rules were written, rights-holders were to maintain and update lists of known infringing domains. With the new system, ARCOM would push domain names and addresses to transport providers (ISPs) using automation. This system is likely to resemble Italy’s Piracy Shield, which has come under ongoing criticism for being inaccurate or overly zealous. Hopefully, ARCOM will have learned from Italy’s experiences.
Further reading
Bill on the organization, management and financing of professional sport. Draft text. Bill No. 3057 before the National Assembly, Bill No. 886 before the Senate. Registered on July 8, 2026. National Assembly (France)
