The courts of Singapore have ordered the blocking of an additional 99 online domains, all of which are related to illegal streaming services.
According to the Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) of the Asia Video Industry Association, this latest development is the result of a "dynamic" order issued by the Singapore High Court in February 2022, which blacklisted 150 site domains.
The Straits Times stated that 123movies.com, sportsbay.com, and kissasian.com are among the websites whose domains have been blacklisted.
Members of CAP which include BBC Studios, Discovery Communications, La Liga, the Premier League, and TVB International made the block.
It will effectively thwart unlawful streaming sites' attempts to avoid the February 2022 directive by restricting the sites' domains. Frequently, illegal websites update their domains by substituting ".com" with ".net" or ".watch."
The Straits Times stated that the "dynamic" injunction will eliminate the need for copyright holders to submit fresh applications to restrict each alternative domain.
More Singaporeans are relying on legal means
"This latest ban demonstrates the effects of an efficient and successful site blocking policy in combating illicit streaming services," CAP's General Manager Matthew Cheetham stated.
A recent survey commissioned by CAP and performed by YouGov indicated that more than one-third of 1,000 respondents in Singapore spent more time watching free streaming services as a result of the blocking of pirate streaming services.
In addition, more than twenty percent signed up for legal streaming services as a result of the government's banning of illicit alternatives.
The Straits Times stated that "dynamic" site blocking was used for the first time against 53 pirate websites, including the Pirate Bay, in 2018.
Comments