Blocking Access to Foreign Pirate Sites

Despite leading the world in pirate site visits, the U.S. remains one of the few developed nations without legal authority to block foreign piracy websites. This report argues it’s time for Congress to authorize website blocking, drawing on over a decade of global evidence showing that such measures reduce piracy and promote legal content consumption without harming internet freedom. The study outlines successful models from countries like Canada and the UK, while cautioning against poorly designed systems that can lead to overblocking. It concludes with a roadmap for effective governance, technical safeguards, and a balanced legislative framework.