European ISPs Want Rightsholders Held Accountable for Overblocking Damage
European internet service providers are lobbying the EU Commission to hold rightsholders legally accountable for overblocking incidents. They argue that current site-blocking measures are disproportionate and often target intermediaries like VPNs and DNS resolvers that lack the technical capacity to comply.
Why it matters
This highlights a growing tension between copyright enforcement and digital infrastructure stability, potentially setting a precedent for intermediary liability in the EU.
For years, rightsholders have pushed for broader site blocking orders, with no direct liability if these result in overblocking. EuroISPA, which represents over 3,300 European internet service providers, is now asking the EU Commission to change that. The association points to a series of overblocking incidents in Italy, Spain, and elsewhere, where rightsholders were not held accountable.
The article presents the ISP association's perspective on regulatory policy without taking a stance on the validity of copyright enforcement.
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