How about we end the year with some good old fashioned web-blocking? You know, just like the baby Jesus would have wanted. Well, good news Jesus, courts in both the UK and Australia have issued some new web-blocking orders.
Web-blocking, of course, has become a preferred anti-piracy tactic of the music and movie industries in those countries where such injunctions are available. Copyright owners go to court and get themselves an injunction ordering internet service providers to block their customers from accessing pesky piracy sites.
The latest web-blocks are the result of proceedings pursued by the film industry in both the UK and Australia, with the big traditional movie studios taking the initiative - although, interestingly, these days Netflix Studios LLC also comes along for the ride.
Fifteen domains are targeted by the latest UK web-blocking order, including 0123movies.net, flixhq.ru, gototub.com and tvshows88.com. The Australian injunction blocks no less than 101 domains, including emovies.io, gogomovies.to, cinema.net and various flixtor domains.
Critics question just how effective web-blocking really is, given the blockades can usually be circumvented by using a VPN or alternative DNS resolver, or by simply finding a proxy through a good old Google search.
However, while web-blocks are no panacea, copyright owners argue that any barriers you can put in front of piracy platforms make people more likely to find themselves a legit music or movie service.
So, bring on the web-blocks I guess. And merry Christmas everyone.