Italy’s Communictions Regulatory Authority (AGCOM) has deployed its Piracy Shield platform, which will be fully operational by the end of January 2024; meeting its obligation to launch by December 7.
The automated Piracy Shield system enables rights-holders to report copyright violations and their domain-names and/or IP addresses directly to the platform, which distributes them as blocking requests. By law, ISPs must block infringing sites within 30 minutes of being notified.
According to a news release by AGCOM, the platform requirements defined by the Authority were discussed and shared as part of the work of a anti-piracy technical working group convened by Agcom, in collaboration with the National Cybersecurity Agency, established last 7 September. Other participants included MIMIT (Ministry for Business and Made in Italy), the Italian postal police, copyright advocate FAPAV, and several rights-holders.
How it will work
Piracy Shield is essentially a ticket management system. After passing a qualification and accreditation process, ISPs can request the Piracy Shield manual via email, which contains details about the API and the platform’s workflow. If the ISP has not yet completed the integration, blocking can be done manually.
Issues raised by working group participants include the short grace period (just 60 seconds) to cancel a submission if it was reported in error, how to whitelist sites, and what will happen to illegal IPs that have been blocked – especially if they are dynamic and are reassigned automatically by an ISP to a legal service.
Further reading
The platform for blocking sites that illegally broadcast live sporting events is underway. Full operation by January 31st. Press release. December 8, 2023. AGCOM
The anti-piracy platform is active from today. However, providers still need time. Article. by Roberto Pezzali. December 7, 2023. DDAY.IT
Exclusive: How AGCOM’s anti-piracy platform will work. Impossible to be ready for October. Article. by Roberto Pezzali. September 14, 2023. DDAY.IT
Italy: Site blocking becomes law, goes into effect August 8. Article. July 28, 2023. Piracy Monitor
Resolution No. 189/23/CONS. Amendments to the Regulation on the Protection of Copyright on Electronic Communications Networks and Implementing Procedures Pursuant to Legislative Decree No. 70 of 9 April 2003 Referred to in the Resolution No. 680/13/CONS. The Authority at the Council Meeting of July 26, 2023. Resolution. July 26, 2023. AGCOM (Authorita per le Garanzie Nelle Comunicazioni) Italy.
Why it matters
Italy passed site blocking into law in July 2023, which went into effect on August 8. Piracy Shield represents the next step in the implementation of Italy’s anti-piracy ecosystem. The parties mandated to implement and deply the system are challenged by an aggressive timetable and open questions.
The country has become a European leader in passing anti-piracy legislation and implementing processes – and now, systems – for shutting down illegal streaming in that country. AGCOM is the agency responsible for managing the overall initiative.
Italian copyright advocates also recently became the first country in Europe to launch an anti-camcording campaign.
