September 29, 2025 • 34 mins
The race between pirates and rights holders has entered a new era where algorithms call the shots. Across six countries on three continents, courts are embracing AI as the referee of intellectual property rights in sports broadcasting, delivering a game-changing shift in enforcement speed and effectiveness.
From hockey arenas in Toronto to cricket grounds in Mumbai, sophisticated AI systems now fingerprint legitimate broadcasts, instantly detect unauthorized streams, and trigger court-ordered blocks in real-time. The result? Millions of viewers watching pirated streams suddenly find their screens going dark mid-match as algorithms blow the whistle on infringement.
This episode takes you inside landmark cases where technology and law converge. In Canada, broadcasters secured dynamic blocking orders that update during live games. Spain's La Liga won the right to target entire server infrastructures. French courts ordered VPN providers to block pirate access. Ireland extended Premier League protections through 2027. And India's cricket authorities gained "dynamic plus" injunctions to shut down rogue apps and mirror sites as they appear.
What makes these cases revolutionary is how they've normalized algorithm-driven enforcement. Courts now trust AI detection as reliable evidence and trigger for immediate action. Internet service providers publish their blocking obligations as routine notices. The technology that once seemed futuristic has become the everyday referee of digital rights.
For pirates who once stayed ahead of enforcement by constantly shifting domains and servers, the game has fundamentally changed. They now face an opponent that moves at machine speed, identifying and blocking new infrastructure faster than humans can respond. It's a buzzer-beater for intellectual property that's reshaping the global sports streaming landscape.
Ready to understand how AI is revolutionizing IP enforcement? Subscribe now and discover why the algorithm might be the most powerful player in today's sports broadcasting game.
Want to develop your own IP protection strategy? Check out "Protection for the Inventive Mind" – available now on Amazon in print and Kindle formats.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_02 (00:00):
It's game night around the world.
(00:01):
In Toronto, fans crowd theStanley Cup playoffs.
In Mumbai, the IPL is in fullswing.
In Paris, cafes pulse withChampions League football.
And in Boston, the Celtics chaseanother NBA title.
At the same time, pirates arehard at work, hidden servers,
shady apps, sketchy sites, allstreaming these matches to
millions for free, convincedthey can't be stopped.
(00:24):
But the rules of the game havechanged.
Algorithms now act as referees.
AI tools fingerprint broadcasts,trace pirate feeds and faster
than a three-polomer at thebuzzer.
Courts issue live blockingorders, screens go dark,
mid-match, piracy benched, gameover.
It's the reality of today's IPenforcement unfolding across
(00:47):
Canada, Spain, France, India,Ireland, and beyond.
SPEAKER_00 (00:54):
You are listening to Intangibilia, the podcast of
Intangible Law.
Plain talk about intellectualproperty.
Please welcome your host,Leticia Caminero.
SPEAKER_01 (01:04):
Welcome to Intangibilia, the podcast where
intellectual property meets thereal world systems that protect
it.
I'm your host, Leticia Caminero.
SPEAKER_02 (01:14):
I'm Artemisa, your beloved AI co-host.
SPEAKER_01 (01:17):
Today we're exploring how artificial
intelligence has become the newreferee of global sports.
From hockey and basketball inNorth America to football in
Europe to cricket in India,courts are increasingly relying
on AI detection tools to enforceIP rights.
These aren't traditionaltakedowns or after-the-fact
(01:40):
lawsuits.
We're talking dynamic, real-timeinjunctions where an algorithm
can flag a pirate server, andwithin minutes, an internet
provider is ordered to shut itdown.
SPEAKER_02 (01:52):
It's like having VAR, Hawkeye, and the Third
Umpire rolled into one, butinstead of calling goals, line
calls, or LBWs, the machine iscalling out piracy.
SPEAKER_01 (02:02):
And in today's episode, we'll take you through
12 cases from the last fouryears where algorithms have
stepped out of the lap and ontothe legal pitch.
SPEAKER_02 (02:12):
So grab your jerseys, cricket bats, or hockey
sticks, because this one's goinginto overtime.
SPEAKER_01 (02:18):
Before we kick things off, a quick timeout.
What you hear on Intangibilia isfor information and commentary
only.
Translation, we're callingplays, not giving you a playbook
for court.
Exactly.
If you need legal advice,consult a qualified lawyer in
your jurisdiction.
SPEAKER_02 (02:36):
Preferably one who won't try to explain copyright
law with cricket metaphors.
Or football offsite rules.
Only get me started.
Point is this is not legaladvice, it's a highlight reel.
SPEAKER_01 (02:50):
And now let's get back on the field.
You know, I almost feel bad forthe pirates.
They line up their streams likea team ready to play, thinking
they've got the perfectstrategy.
SPEAKER_02 (03:03):
And then the algorithm blows the whistle
offside foul game over.
SPEAKER_01 (03:07):
In cricket terms, they barely make it to the
crease before getting bowledout.
SPEAKER_02 (03:13):
Or in hockey, they don't even clear the blue line
before the ref sends them to thepenalty box.
SPEAKER_01 (03:18):
The truth is, courts are treating these AI tools like
referees, keeping the game fair,protecting the rights holders,
and shutting down foul play inreal time.
SPEAKER_02 (03:28):
And honestly, every time a pirate stream goes dark
mid-match, it feels like abuzzer beater for the rule of
law.
SPEAKER_01 (03:36):
On that note, let's lace up and head into our first
case.
Straight to Canada, wherehockey, basketball, and football
collided in one of the boldestsite blocking rulings yet.
Let's start in Canada.
July 2024, the federal courthands down a landmark ruling in
(04:00):
Rogers Media in video John Doe1.
At the heart of it, live sportspiracy, hockey, basketball,
Premier League football, streamsbeing safe and off and delivered
illegally.
SPEAKER_02 (04:13):
And not just after the fact.
We're talking live in themoment.
Imagine paying for cable, butyour neighbor just grabs the
signal online for free withthousands of his closest
friends.
SPEAKER_01 (04:24):
To fight that, broadcasters like Rogers, Bell,
and FUBO TV came armed with anunusual weapon.
They partner with Friend MTS, acompany that uses fingerprinting
and AI-driven monitoring to spotpirate streams the moment they
go live.
SPEAKER_02 (05:24):
A dynamic site blocking order.
ISPs were told to block serversin real time with updates
rolling in during games.
(06:11):
Translation, if you were hopingto watch the Stanley Cup for
free on some shady site, betterstart budgeting for cable.
SPEAKER_01 (06:18):
And this case also shows how courts are moving
beyond traditional tech towns.
They're experimenting withdynamic rolling enforcement that
matches the speed ofinfringement.
(07:08):
The company provided affidavitsshowing how its AI-assisted
fingerprinting system scans livebroadcasts, identifies pirate
streams, and maps them back todelivery infrastructure.
(07:29):
The applicants told the courtthat without this automated
approach, piracy was simply toofast and too adaptive for
traditional enforcement.
But again, safeguards mattered.
(07:54):
Any mistaken flagging had to beaddressed, and there were strict
reporting duties back to thecourt.
SPEAKER_02 (08:01):
So we've got AI sniffing out the pirates, ISBs
flipping the off snub, and thecourt keeping score, almost like
a hockey game.
Attackers, defenders, referees.
SPEAKER_01 (08:14):
And the result?
Broadcasters In Canada gainedone of the most powerful tools
yet against live streamingpiracy backed by AI detection.
It shifted the fight fromchasing down websites after the
fact to cutting off the pipelineat the source.
Scoreboard check pirates zero.
Algorithms two.
(08:34):
And that brings us to Europe,where things get even more
heated with La Liga in Spain.
SPEAKER_02 (08:40):
Ah, see Bubul.
When Spain's top league getsinvolved, you know it's about to
get spicy.
And not with lawyers in suitsalone.
Picture this.
Automated detection systemsrunning 24 slash 7, scanning the
web for illegal La Liga streams,tracing them back to IP
addresses.
It's like a squad of digitalreferees blowing the whistle
(09:02):
before kickoff.
SPEAKER_01 (09:04):
In December 2024, Barcelona's commercial court, no
six, upheld La Liga's right touse those systems.
They targeted IP addresses, notjust the mains, linked to pirate
streaming infrastructure.
SPEAKER_02 (09:19):
You're not just blocking one shady website,
you're cutting off the serverthat's feeding dozens of them.
SPEAKER_01 (09:25):
CloudFlad, the Internet Services Company, tried
to challenge the ruling.
They argued that these orderswere overbroad and potentially
unfair to legitimate servicesthat might share the same IP.
SPEAKER_02 (09:39):
Classic defense move, what if you block
something innocent?
But La Liga came prepared.
(10:09):
In other words, better to riskblocking one dodgy server too
many than let millions watch ElClassico for free.
SPEAKER_01 (10:19):
Spain became one of the first jurisdictions in
Europe to normalize IP levelblocking based on AI assisted
detection pipeline.
SPEAKER_02 (10:29):
And let's not forget the symbolism.
SPEAKER_01 (10:39):
It shows how rights holders are pushing the
boundaries of what courts willaccept as reliable tech-driven
evidence.
SPEAKER_02 (10:50):
And honestly, watching pirates scramble when
their streams suddenly go darkmid-match, that's almost as
entertaining as the goalsthemselves.
SPEAKER_01 (10:59):
From Spain, let's head to France.
In May 2025, the Paris JudicialCourt handed down a decision
that shook the anti-piracyplaybook, ordering VPN providers
to block access to piracy sites.
SPEAKER_02 (11:16):
That's right.
The pirate's invisibility cloak.
For years, infringers said,block my site, no problem.
I'll just hide behind a VPN.
While Canal Plus and the FrenchFootball League, the LFP, said,
not so fast.
SPEAKER_01 (11:32):
The plaintiffs relied on automated monitoring
systems that generated livelists of privacy domains.
Their evidence showed that manyusers were bypassing existing
ISP blocks by connecting throughVPNs to reach those same illegal
sites.
(12:33):
The order also had a dynamicelement.
New domains detected by theautomated systems could be added
to the block list with VPNsrequired to comply quickly.
SPEAKER_02 (12:47):
VPN sell privacy and freedom, and suddenly they're
forced to play bouncer at thedoor of pirate sites.
SPEAKER_01 (12:55):
The defense argued this was overreach and maybe
even a question for EU law, butin July 2025, the Paris Court
rejected that and kept theblocks in place.
SPEAKER_02 (13:08):
So in France, the message was clear.
If you're a BPN and youknowingly provide the tunnel for
pirates, you might be legally onthe hook.
SPEAKER_01 (13:17):
And the reliance on automated detection to build
these domain lists shows howcentral AI-driven monitoring has
become in enforcement.
It's no longer just catchingpirates, it's reshaping
obligations for intermediaries.
SPEAKER_02 (13:32):
Honestly, it's like asking the locksmith to rat out
anyone who uses their key for abreak-in.
Poetic if slightly awkward.
SPEAKER_01 (13:40):
Now we move to Ireland, where the Premier
League has been running one ofthe most ambitious anti-piracy
programs in Europe.
In 2025, they went back to theHigh Court to renew their live
blocking order.
SPEAKER_02 (13:55):
And live is the key word here.
The Premier League doesn't justrely on takedowns after the
match.
Their tech team uses automatedfingerprinting to detect illegal
streams as they happen.
(14:22):
Imagine thousands of streamsbeing checked simultaneously and
the system instantly saying thatone's legit, that one's piracy.
Once confirmed, the server getsadded to a block list.
SPEAKER_01 (14:33):
And thanks to a standing court order, ISPs in
Ireland are legally obliged toblock those servers almost
immediately.
SPEAKER_02 (14:44):
Which means that if you're watching a free bootleg
feed of Manchester United versusLiverpool, there's a good chance
your stream will suddenly goblack right after kickoff.
SPEAKER_01 (14:52):
In 2025, the Premier League asked for and obtained an
extension of this system for the2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons.
The High Court accepted thetechnical affidavits, showing
the system's effectiveness andsafeguards.
SPEAKER_02 (15:36):
So pirates might call it censorship, but courts
called it necessary protection,and the Premier League scored
not just on the field, but inthe courtroom.
(16:48):
Every unauthorized feed gotflagged, logged, and sent
straight to the ISP's blocklists.
SPEAKER_01 (16:54):
The court had already granted UEFA a live
blocking order before, but in2025, they asked for a two-year
extension to cover the 2025-26and 2026-27 seasons.
SPEAKER_02 (17:12):
And they got it.
(20:05):
Or to put it in sports terms,the pirates barely made it out
of the locker room before thealgorithm sent them off the
field.
SPEAKER_01 (20:12):
Earlier we looked at Canada's Rogers B.
John Doe case, but that was justthe beginning.
In 2024, Canadian video serviceproviders went bigger, way
bigger.
They asked the court for powerto shut down pirate delivery
servers across the entirecountry.
(21:51):
And just like in the Rogerscase, safeguards mattered.
SPEAKER_02 (22:02):
So the outcome?
SPEAKER_01 (22:10):
It's a clear example of courts trusting automated
detection, not just as evidence,but as the trigger for real-time
enforcement at scale.
SPEAKER_02 (22:20):
Or to put it bluntly, Canada told pirates no
hockey for you.
SPEAKER_01 (22:24):
Now let's fly to India, home of cricket, and a
brand new twist on dynamicblocking.
In March 2024, the Delhi HighCourt granted Viacom 18 a
dynamic plus injunction toprotect its rights over the
Indian Premier Leaguebroadcasts.
SPEAKER_02 (22:41):
The IPO draws hundreds of millions of viewers
and plenty of pirates eager tocash in with unauthorized
streams.
SPEAKER_01 (22:48):
Viacometis legal team presented evidence from
automated crawlers andAI-powered monitoring systems.
These tools scoured the internetduring matches, identifying rock
domains, mirror sites, and evenapps distributing live feats.
SPEAKER_02 (23:06):
Every time a new pirate popped up, the bots
tagged it, added it to the list,and handed it over to the court.
SPEAKER_01 (23:42):
Safeguards were built in, each update had to be
verified, sworn affidavits hadto support the detection, and
AISPs had clear instructions forcompliance.
SPEAKER_02 (23:54):
Which means, in plain terms, that if you tried
to stream an IPL match illegallyin 2024, chances are your feed
got zapped mid-game.
SPEAKER_01 (24:47):
Just like Viacom 18 the year before, Geostar asked
for a dynamic plus injunction.
They file affidavits frommonitoring teams that use AI
uppermoured crawlers to detectnew road domains, streaming
apps, and even mirror links assoon as they went live.
(25:22):
Pirates were shifting fasterthan human teams could respond.
Automated detection, updated inreal time, was the only way to
keep pace.
SPEAKER_02 (28:04):
One moment you're streaming a La Liga match, the
next, poof, the algorithm turnedoff the lights.
(28:41):
Sounds boring, right?
A webpage with legaldisclaimers, but wait, those
pages reveal just how normalAI-driven blocking orders have
become.
SPEAKER_01 (28:51):
Providers like EE and Plusnet publish court orders
they are bound to follow.
And if you check in 2025, you'llsee something striking.
Live blocking obligations forPremier League and UEFA matches
running straight through to the2026-27 season.
SPEAKER_02 (29:11):
Which means every weekend while fans watch
football, algorithms are workingin the background,
fingerprinting feeds,identifying pirate servers, and
sending updates to ISPs in realtime.
(29:33):
Honestly, it's like checking theweather report.
Today's forecast scatteredshowers, Premier League blocking
orders in effect.
SPEAKER_01 (29:41):
Bigger point this isn't just about one flashing
junction in Canada, Spain,across jurisdiction, AI
detection is now baked into thedaily mechanics of IP
enforcement.
And that's why we call thisepisode dynamic justice.
(30:04):
Codes are learning to move atalgorithm speed, and ISPs are
publishing the proof foreveryone to see.
SPEAKER_02 (30:13):
Pirates beware, the algorithm never sleeps, and
apparently neither do lawyers.
SPEAKER_01 (30:18):
So we've traveled from Toronto to Delhi, Madrid to
Dublin, and Paris to London, andwhat we've seen is clear.
Sports piracy isn't just anuisance anymore, it's a
full-scale legal battleground.
SPEAKER_02 (30:32):
And the MVP, algorithms.
AI drain, fingerprinting, streammonitoring, and automated
crawlers have become the starplayers in these court
victories.
SPEAKER_01 (30:43):
Courts are adapting too.
Instead of waiting months fortraditional lawsuits, they're
granting dynamic, real-timeorders.
Piracy happens in minutes.
And now so does enforcement.
(31:07):
True.
And while these cases showpowerful wins for rights
holders, they also raise deeperquestions about proportionality,
due process, and whetherautomation should really be the
front line of justice.
SPEAKER_02 (31:23):
But one thing's for sure, if you're streaming
illegally, you might want tokeep a backup snack because your
screen could go dark beforehalftime.
SPEAKER_01 (31:33):
That's the game today.
Algorithms are protecting hockeyrings, basketball courts,
football pitches, and cricketfields, and courts are backing
them up.
Takeaways.
(32:18):
But cricket, hockey, andbasketball are also central,
making sports a global testingground for AI-driven IP
protection.
SPEAKER_02 (32:27):
Or intermediaries in the spotlight, ISPs, and now
even VPNs are being pulled intoenforcement with court orders
requiring them to block sitesdynamically based on AI
detection.
SPEAKER_01 (32:57):
That's all for today's match on Intangibilia.
SPEAKER_02 (33:00):
We've seen AI step onto the field, the court, the
pitch, and even the cricketground, not as a player, but as
the referee calling piracy outof bounds.
So whether you're a fan cheeringin the stands or a lawyer
drafting in the office, rememberthe algorithm might already be
(33:24):
ahead of you.
Thank you for joining us.
Until next time, play fair andstay protected.
SPEAKER_00 (33:31):
Thank you for listening to Intangibilia, the
podcast of Intangible Law.
Plain talk about intellectualproperty.
Did you like what we talkedtoday?
Please share with your network.
Do you want to learn more aboutintellectual property?
Subscribe now on your favoritepodcast player.
Follow us on Instagram,Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
(33:51):
Visit our websitewww.intangibia.com.
Copyright Leticia Caminero 2020.
All rights reserved.
This podcast is provided forinformation purposes only.
It's game night around the world.
(00:01):
In Toronto, fans crowd theStanley Cup playoffs.
In Mumbai, the IPL is in fullswing.
In Paris, cafes pulse withChampions League football.
And in Boston, the Celtics chaseanother NBA title.
At the same time, pirates arehard at work, hidden servers,
shady apps, sketchy sites, allstreaming these matches to
millions for free, convincedthey can't be stopped.
(00:24):
But the rules of the game havechanged.
Algorithms now act as referees.
AI tools fingerprint broadcasts,trace pirate feeds and faster
than a three-polomer at thebuzzer.
Courts issue live blockingorders, screens go dark,
mid-match, piracy benched, gameover.
It's the reality of today's IPenforcement unfolding across
(00:47):
Canada, Spain, France, India,Ireland, and beyond.
SPEAKER_00 (00:54):
You are listening to Intangibilia, the podcast of
Intangible Law.
Plain talk about intellectualproperty.
Please welcome your host,Leticia Caminero.
SPEAKER_01 (01:04):
Welcome to Intangibilia, the podcast where
intellectual property meets thereal world systems that protect
it.
I'm your host, Leticia Caminero.
SPEAKER_02 (01:14):
I'm Artemisa, your beloved AI co-host.
SPEAKER_01 (01:17):
Today we're exploring how artificial
intelligence has become the newreferee of global sports.
From hockey and basketball inNorth America to football in
Europe to cricket in India,courts are increasingly relying
on AI detection tools to enforceIP rights.
These aren't traditionaltakedowns or after-the-fact
(01:40):
lawsuits.
We're talking dynamic, real-timeinjunctions where an algorithm
can flag a pirate server, andwithin minutes, an internet
provider is ordered to shut itdown.
SPEAKER_02 (01:52):
It's like having VAR, Hawkeye, and the Third
Umpire rolled into one, butinstead of calling goals, line
calls, or LBWs, the machine iscalling out piracy.
SPEAKER_01 (02:02):
And in today's episode, we'll take you through
12 cases from the last fouryears where algorithms have
stepped out of the lap and ontothe legal pitch.
SPEAKER_02 (02:12):
So grab your jerseys, cricket bats, or hockey
sticks, because this one's goinginto overtime.
SPEAKER_01 (02:18):
Before we kick things off, a quick timeout.
What you hear on Intangibilia isfor information and commentary
only.
Translation, we're callingplays, not giving you a playbook
for court.
Exactly.
If you need legal advice,consult a qualified lawyer in
your jurisdiction.
SPEAKER_02 (02:36):
Preferably one who won't try to explain copyright
law with cricket metaphors.
Or football offsite rules.
Only get me started.
Point is this is not legaladvice, it's a highlight reel.
SPEAKER_01 (02:50):
And now let's get back on the field.
You know, I almost feel bad forthe pirates.
They line up their streams likea team ready to play, thinking
they've got the perfectstrategy.
SPEAKER_02 (03:03):
And then the algorithm blows the whistle
offside foul game over.
SPEAKER_01 (03:07):
In cricket terms, they barely make it to the
crease before getting bowledout.
SPEAKER_02 (03:13):
Or in hockey, they don't even clear the blue line
before the ref sends them to thepenalty box.
SPEAKER_01 (03:18):
The truth is, courts are treating these AI tools like
referees, keeping the game fair,protecting the rights holders,
and shutting down foul play inreal time.
SPEAKER_02 (03:28):
And honestly, every time a pirate stream goes dark
mid-match, it feels like abuzzer beater for the rule of
law.
SPEAKER_01 (03:36):
On that note, let's lace up and head into our first
case.
Straight to Canada, wherehockey, basketball, and football
collided in one of the boldestsite blocking rulings yet.
Let's start in Canada.
July 2024, the federal courthands down a landmark ruling in
(04:00):
Rogers Media in video John Doe1.
At the heart of it, live sportspiracy, hockey, basketball,
Premier League football, streamsbeing safe and off and delivered
illegally.
SPEAKER_02 (04:13):
And not just after the fact.
We're talking live in themoment.
Imagine paying for cable, butyour neighbor just grabs the
signal online for free withthousands of his closest
friends.
SPEAKER_01 (04:24):
To fight that, broadcasters like Rogers, Bell,
and FUBO TV came armed with anunusual weapon.
They partner with Friend MTS, acompany that uses fingerprinting
and AI-driven monitoring to spotpirate streams the moment they
go live.
SPEAKER_02 (05:24):
A dynamic site blocking order.
ISPs were told to block serversin real time with updates
rolling in during games.
(06:11):
Translation, if you were hopingto watch the Stanley Cup for
free on some shady site, betterstart budgeting for cable.
SPEAKER_01 (06:18):
And this case also shows how courts are moving
beyond traditional tech towns.
They're experimenting withdynamic rolling enforcement that
matches the speed ofinfringement.
(07:08):
The company provided affidavitsshowing how its AI-assisted
fingerprinting system scans livebroadcasts, identifies pirate
streams, and maps them back todelivery infrastructure.
(07:29):
The applicants told the courtthat without this automated
approach, piracy was simply toofast and too adaptive for
traditional enforcement.
But again, safeguards mattered.
(07:54):
Any mistaken flagging had to beaddressed, and there were strict
reporting duties back to thecourt.
SPEAKER_02 (08:01):
So we've got AI sniffing out the pirates, ISBs
flipping the off snub, and thecourt keeping score, almost like
a hockey game.
Attackers, defenders, referees.
SPEAKER_01 (08:14):
And the result?
Broadcasters In Canada gainedone of the most powerful tools
yet against live streamingpiracy backed by AI detection.
It shifted the fight fromchasing down websites after the
fact to cutting off the pipelineat the source.
Scoreboard check pirates zero.
Algorithms two.
(08:34):
And that brings us to Europe,where things get even more
heated with La Liga in Spain.
SPEAKER_02 (08:40):
Ah, see Bubul.
When Spain's top league getsinvolved, you know it's about to
get spicy.
And not with lawyers in suitsalone.
Picture this.
Automated detection systemsrunning 24 slash 7, scanning the
web for illegal La Liga streams,tracing them back to IP
addresses.
It's like a squad of digitalreferees blowing the whistle
(09:02):
before kickoff.
SPEAKER_01 (09:04):
In December 2024, Barcelona's commercial court, no
six, upheld La Liga's right touse those systems.
They targeted IP addresses, notjust the mains, linked to pirate
streaming infrastructure.
SPEAKER_02 (09:19):
You're not just blocking one shady website,
you're cutting off the serverthat's feeding dozens of them.
SPEAKER_01 (09:25):
CloudFlad, the Internet Services Company, tried
to challenge the ruling.
They argued that these orderswere overbroad and potentially
unfair to legitimate servicesthat might share the same IP.
SPEAKER_02 (09:39):
Classic defense move, what if you block
something innocent?
But La Liga came prepared.
(10:09):
In other words, better to riskblocking one dodgy server too
many than let millions watch ElClassico for free.
SPEAKER_01 (10:19):
Spain became one of the first jurisdictions in
Europe to normalize IP levelblocking based on AI assisted
detection pipeline.
SPEAKER_02 (10:29):
And let's not forget the symbolism.
SPEAKER_01 (10:39):
It shows how rights holders are pushing the
boundaries of what courts willaccept as reliable tech-driven
evidence.
SPEAKER_02 (10:50):
And honestly, watching pirates scramble when
their streams suddenly go darkmid-match, that's almost as
entertaining as the goalsthemselves.
SPEAKER_01 (10:59):
From Spain, let's head to France.
In May 2025, the Paris JudicialCourt handed down a decision
that shook the anti-piracyplaybook, ordering VPN providers
to block access to piracy sites.
SPEAKER_02 (11:16):
That's right.
The pirate's invisibility cloak.
For years, infringers said,block my site, no problem.
I'll just hide behind a VPN.
While Canal Plus and the FrenchFootball League, the LFP, said,
not so fast.
SPEAKER_01 (11:32):
The plaintiffs relied on automated monitoring
systems that generated livelists of privacy domains.
Their evidence showed that manyusers were bypassing existing
ISP blocks by connecting throughVPNs to reach those same illegal
sites.
(12:33):
The order also had a dynamicelement.
New domains detected by theautomated systems could be added
to the block list with VPNsrequired to comply quickly.
SPEAKER_02 (12:47):
VPN sell privacy and freedom, and suddenly they're
forced to play bouncer at thedoor of pirate sites.
SPEAKER_01 (12:55):
The defense argued this was overreach and maybe
even a question for EU law, butin July 2025, the Paris Court
rejected that and kept theblocks in place.
SPEAKER_02 (13:08):
So in France, the message was clear.
If you're a BPN and youknowingly provide the tunnel for
pirates, you might be legally onthe hook.
SPEAKER_01 (13:17):
And the reliance on automated detection to build
these domain lists shows howcentral AI-driven monitoring has
become in enforcement.
It's no longer just catchingpirates, it's reshaping
obligations for intermediaries.
SPEAKER_02 (13:32):
Honestly, it's like asking the locksmith to rat out
anyone who uses their key for abreak-in.
Poetic if slightly awkward.
SPEAKER_01 (13:40):
Now we move to Ireland, where the Premier
League has been running one ofthe most ambitious anti-piracy
programs in Europe.
In 2025, they went back to theHigh Court to renew their live
blocking order.
SPEAKER_02 (13:55):
And live is the key word here.
The Premier League doesn't justrely on takedowns after the
match.
Their tech team uses automatedfingerprinting to detect illegal
streams as they happen.
(14:22):
Imagine thousands of streamsbeing checked simultaneously and
the system instantly saying thatone's legit, that one's piracy.
Once confirmed, the server getsadded to a block list.
SPEAKER_01 (14:33):
And thanks to a standing court order, ISPs in
Ireland are legally obliged toblock those servers almost
immediately.
SPEAKER_02 (14:44):
Which means that if you're watching a free bootleg
feed of Manchester United versusLiverpool, there's a good chance
your stream will suddenly goblack right after kickoff.
SPEAKER_01 (14:52):
In 2025, the Premier League asked for and obtained an
extension of this system for the2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons.
The High Court accepted thetechnical affidavits, showing
the system's effectiveness andsafeguards.
SPEAKER_02 (15:36):
So pirates might call it censorship, but courts
called it necessary protection,and the Premier League scored
not just on the field, but inthe courtroom.
(16:48):
Every unauthorized feed gotflagged, logged, and sent
straight to the ISP's blocklists.
SPEAKER_01 (16:54):
The court had already granted UEFA a live
blocking order before, but in2025, they asked for a two-year
extension to cover the 2025-26and 2026-27 seasons.
SPEAKER_02 (17:12):
And they got it.
(20:05):
Or to put it in sports terms,the pirates barely made it out
of the locker room before thealgorithm sent them off the
field.
SPEAKER_01 (20:12):
Earlier we looked at Canada's Rogers B.
John Doe case, but that was justthe beginning.
In 2024, Canadian video serviceproviders went bigger, way
bigger.
They asked the court for powerto shut down pirate delivery
servers across the entirecountry.
(21:51):
And just like in the Rogerscase, safeguards mattered.
SPEAKER_02 (22:02):
So the outcome?
SPEAKER_01 (22:10):
It's a clear example of courts trusting automated
detection, not just as evidence,but as the trigger for real-time
enforcement at scale.
SPEAKER_02 (22:20):
Or to put it bluntly, Canada told pirates no
hockey for you.
SPEAKER_01 (22:24):
Now let's fly to India, home of cricket, and a
brand new twist on dynamicblocking.
In March 2024, the Delhi HighCourt granted Viacom 18 a
dynamic plus injunction toprotect its rights over the
Indian Premier Leaguebroadcasts.
SPEAKER_02 (22:41):
The IPO draws hundreds of millions of viewers
and plenty of pirates eager tocash in with unauthorized
streams.
SPEAKER_01 (22:48):
Viacometis legal team presented evidence from
automated crawlers andAI-powered monitoring systems.
These tools scoured the internetduring matches, identifying rock
domains, mirror sites, and evenapps distributing live feats.
SPEAKER_02 (23:06):
Every time a new pirate popped up, the bots
tagged it, added it to the list,and handed it over to the court.
SPEAKER_01 (23:42):
Safeguards were built in, each update had to be
verified, sworn affidavits hadto support the detection, and
AISPs had clear instructions forcompliance.
SPEAKER_02 (23:54):
Which means, in plain terms, that if you tried
to stream an IPL match illegallyin 2024, chances are your feed
got zapped mid-game.
SPEAKER_01 (24:47):
Just like Viacom 18 the year before, Geostar asked
for a dynamic plus injunction.
They file affidavits frommonitoring teams that use AI
uppermoured crawlers to detectnew road domains, streaming
apps, and even mirror links assoon as they went live.
(25:22):
Pirates were shifting fasterthan human teams could respond.
Automated detection, updated inreal time, was the only way to
keep pace.
SPEAKER_02 (28:04):
One moment you're streaming a La Liga match, the
next, poof, the algorithm turnedoff the lights.
(28:41):
Sounds boring, right?
A webpage with legaldisclaimers, but wait, those
pages reveal just how normalAI-driven blocking orders have
become.
SPEAKER_01 (28:51):
Providers like EE and Plusnet publish court orders
they are bound to follow.
And if you check in 2025, you'llsee something striking.
Live blocking obligations forPremier League and UEFA matches
running straight through to the2026-27 season.
SPEAKER_02 (29:11):
Which means every weekend while fans watch
football, algorithms are workingin the background,
fingerprinting feeds,identifying pirate servers, and
sending updates to ISPs in realtime.
(29:33):
Honestly, it's like checking theweather report.
Today's forecast scatteredshowers, Premier League blocking
orders in effect.
SPEAKER_01 (29:41):
Bigger point this isn't just about one flashing
junction in Canada, Spain,across jurisdiction, AI
detection is now baked into thedaily mechanics of IP
enforcement.
And that's why we call thisepisode dynamic justice.
(30:04):
Codes are learning to move atalgorithm speed, and ISPs are
publishing the proof foreveryone to see.
SPEAKER_02 (30:13):
Pirates beware, the algorithm never sleeps, and
apparently neither do lawyers.
SPEAKER_01 (30:18):
So we've traveled from Toronto to Delhi, Madrid to
Dublin, and Paris to London, andwhat we've seen is clear.
Sports piracy isn't just anuisance anymore, it's a
full-scale legal battleground.
SPEAKER_02 (30:32):
And the MVP, algorithms.
AI drain, fingerprinting, streammonitoring, and automated
crawlers have become the starplayers in these court
victories.
SPEAKER_01 (30:43):
Courts are adapting too.
Instead of waiting months fortraditional lawsuits, they're
granting dynamic, real-timeorders.
Piracy happens in minutes.
And now so does enforcement.
(31:07):
True.
And while these cases showpowerful wins for rights
holders, they also raise deeperquestions about proportionality,
due process, and whetherautomation should really be the
front line of justice.
SPEAKER_02 (31:23):
But one thing's for sure, if you're streaming
illegally, you might want tokeep a backup snack because your
screen could go dark beforehalftime.
SPEAKER_01 (31:33):
That's the game today.
Algorithms are protecting hockeyrings, basketball courts,
football pitches, and cricketfields, and courts are backing
them up.
Takeaways.
(32:18):
But cricket, hockey, andbasketball are also central,
making sports a global testingground for AI-driven IP
protection.
SPEAKER_02 (32:27):
Or intermediaries in the spotlight, ISPs, and now
even VPNs are being pulled intoenforcement with court orders
requiring them to block sitesdynamically based on AI
detection.
SPEAKER_01 (32:57):
That's all for today's match on Intangibilia.
SPEAKER_02 (33:00):
We've seen AI step onto the field, the court, the
pitch, and even the cricketground, not as a player, but as
the referee calling piracy outof bounds.
So whether you're a fan cheeringin the stands or a lawyer
drafting in the office, rememberthe algorithm might already be
(33:24):
ahead of you.
Thank you for joining us.
Until next time, play fair andstay protected.
SPEAKER_00 (33:31):
Thank you for listening to Intangibilia, the
podcast of Intangible Law.
Plain talk about intellectualproperty.
Did you like what we talkedtoday?
Please share with your network.
Do you want to learn more aboutintellectual property?
Subscribe now on your favoritepodcast player.
Follow us on Instagram,Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
(33:51):
Visit our websitewww.intangibia.com.
Copyright Leticia Caminero 2020.
All rights reserved.
This podcast is provided forinformation purposes only.
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