At the request of the BREIN Foundation, an anti-piracy advocacy organization in the Netherlands, Groupon immediately stopped a discount campaign for illegal IPTV subscriptions. That swift action underscored the importance of the “Trusted Flagger” role which is defined in the EU’s Digital Services Act, requiring intermediaries to take action as a matter of priority.
Since 2025, BREIN has been officially designated a Trusted Flagger by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM). In general, it is crucial that online infringements are stopped quickly to prevent irreparable damage. This is especially true for well-known, legal platforms where consumers can be confused about the legality of the offering.
BREIN regularly litigates against infringers and against intermediaries whose services are used to commit infringements. The proceedings on the merits brought by BREIN under the Act on Settlement of Mass Claims in Collective Action (WAMCA) are published in the Central Register of Collective Claims . This register contains information about all collective claims brought and settled in the Netherlands.
Why it matters
“The fact that Groupon responded almost immediately to our request as a Trusted Flagger is good news,” says BREIN. “We see that Trusted Flagger status makes enforcement more effective. It allows us, together with intermediaries, to remove harmful, illegal offers more quickly before more consumers become victims or the damage to rights holders escalates.”
BREIN (Bescherming Rechten Entertainment Industrie Nederland = The Foundation for the Protection of the Rights of the Entertainment Industry of the Netherlands) is an organization focused on fighting copyright infringement and piracy in the Dutch creative and media sectors, including music, film, and games (from Wikipedia)
Futher reading
Groupon stops discount promotion for illegal IPTV. Press release. January 13, 2026. BREIN Foundation
