European ISPs Want Rightsholders Held Accountable for Overblocking Damage
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
EuroISPA demands rightsholders be liable for overblocking damage in new EU filing.
EuroISPA, representing over 3,300 European ISPs, filed a submission to the European Commission's CDSM review, arguing rightsholders should be held accountable for collateral damage from overbroad site blocking. The association cites overblocking incidents in Italy (7,700 domains blocked by Piracy Shield), Spain (LaLiga blocking shared IPs hit millions), and France/Belgium (Cisco pulled OpenDNS). ISPs say the Commission should prioritize enforcing existing law over new obligations.
EuroISPA argues no new legislation is needed; EU's IPRED directive already supports liability. The filing also opposes rapid blocking requirements like Italy's 30-minute deadline, which burdens smaller providers.
What commenters are saying
Commenters overwhelmingly support ISP accountability, calling the lack of it an obvious oversight. The top thread highlights Spain and Italy as especially problematic, with soccer (LaLiga, Serie A) wielding disproportionate power. One commenter notes a website 'hayahora.futbol' tracks when Spanish blocking is active.
A subthread debates censorship, with some arguing child pornography is a legitimate exception but noting overblocking harms innocent content. Others see parallels to US DMCA takedowns. A few predict broader European internet restrictions (VPN bans, age verification) as the next step.