What Is Site Blocking? How ISP Blocking Orders Work Against Piracy
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Published on
November 4, 2026
A plain-English guide to site blocking: what an ISP blocking order does, how static, dynamic and live orders differ, and how blocking fits beside takedowns.
Site blocking is a legal remedy that requires internet service providers (ISPs) to stop their customers reaching named piracy websites or streaming servers. It is used when a site is dedicated to infringement and takedown notices to the site, its host or its registrar have not worked. Blocking does not take the site offline; it makes it much harder to reach for users of the ISPs covered by the order.
This guide explains how blocking orders work, the main types, what they can and cannot achieve, and how they fit into a wider anti-piracy programme. Blocking is decided by courts or authorities under national law, so treat this as background and take legal advice for any specific country. If you need evidence and monitoring support for a blocking strategy, see Ayatii's site blocking orders service.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking targets access, not the site itself. ISPs are ordered to stop their customers reaching named domains or servers; the site stays online elsewhere.
- It is a remedy for sites that ignore notices. Courts generally look for sites whose main purpose is infringement and where other measures have not worked.
- Orders can be static, dynamic or live. Dynamic orders allow new mirror domains to be added, and live orders target streaming servers during events.
- Blocking works best with other measures. Takedowns, search delisting, app store reports and revenue disruption cover the routes a block does not.
What a blocking order actually does
A blocking order is directed at ISPs, not at the pirate site. The ISPs named in the order must take technical steps so that their customers cannot reach the listed websites or servers in the normal way. The site's operator is often unknown or outside the court's reach, which is exactly why the order is aimed at the intermediaries whose networks users rely on.
The legal basis varies by country. In the European Union, Article 8(3) of the InfoSoc Directive (Directive 2001/29/EC on copyright and related rights in the information society) requires member states to ensure that rights holders can apply for an injunction against intermediaries whose services are used by a third party to infringe copyright or a related right. In UPC Telekabel Wien (C-314/12, judgment of 27 March 2014), the Court of Justice of the EU held that an internet access provider is such an intermediary, and that a blocking injunction can be compatible with fundamental rights if it is targeted and leaves users able to access lawful information. How injunctions are granted is left to national law. In the United Kingdom, section 97A of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 gives the High Court power to grant an injunction against a service provider that has actual knowledge of another person using its service to infringe copyright. Other countries use different procedures, including administrative orders issued by a regulator.
How blocking is applied technically
The order normally sets out what must be blocked and leaves the method partly to the ISP. The common techniques are:
- DNS blocking: the ISP's DNS servers stop resolving the listed domain names, so the site does not load for users relying on those servers.
- IP address blocking: traffic to specific server addresses is dropped. This is common for streaming servers, but needs care where an address is shared with legitimate sites.
- URL or hybrid blocking: traffic is filtered more precisely, for example only blocking specific paths on a server.
Each method can be bypassed by determined users, for example with a VPN or alternative DNS. Courts usually accept that a block does not need to be perfect to be useful: the aim is to make the infringing site harder to reach and to steer most casual users away from it.
Static, dynamic and live orders
Early orders listed fixed domains. Piracy sites quickly learned to move to new domains or mirrors, which led courts in several countries to grant orders that can be updated.
Table 1. Main types of blocking order
| Type | What it covers | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Static | A fixed list of named domains or addresses | Large, long-running pirate sites |
| Dynamic | Named sites plus new domains and mirrors shown to be the same service | Sites that hop between domains after a block |
| Live | Streaming servers, blocked only during set event windows and updated during the event | Live sports and other live broadcasts |
| Administrative | Sites listed by a regulator or authority rather than a court | Countries whose law provides for it |
Dynamic and live orders depend on monitoring. Someone has to identify the new domains or the servers in use during a match, show that they belong to the blocked service and pass that information on in the form the order requires.
The limits of blocking
Blocking is a strong tool, but it is not a complete answer:
- It is national. An order binds the ISPs in one country. Users elsewhere are unaffected.
- It can be bypassed. VPNs, alternative DNS resolvers and proxy sites let some users get around blocks.
- It takes time and cost. Court applications involve legal fees and preparation, which suits large, persistent targets rather than small ones.
- It needs maintenance. Without monitoring for mirrors and new domains, a block can lose most of its effect within weeks.
Where blocking fits beside takedowns
Blocking is usually a later step, used after ordinary enforcement has been tried against a site. A sensible sequence looks like this:
- Takedown notices to the site, its host and any platforms carrying the content. See our guide to how DMCA takedown notices work.
- Search delisting so the site's pages stop appearing in results. See search engine delisting.
- App store and platform reports against apps and channels that point users to the site.
- Revenue disruption, reporting the site to the payment and advertising services it relies on. See payment and ad disruption.
- Blocking, where a site is dedicated to infringement, ignores notices and has a large audience in a country where an order is available.
For live sports and illegal IPTV, where streams are sold as subscriptions and watched in real time, blocking and fast takedowns are often run side by side. Ayatii's IPTV piracy disruption and live sports and event protection services cover the monitoring and takedown work that sits alongside a live order.
Talk to Ayatii about protecting your content
Ayatii is an anti-piracy and brand protection company based in Dubai. We monitor for infringing content, verify what we find and handle takedowns for streaming platforms, broadcasters and content owners. Contact the team to discuss what you need to protect.
You can also reach us at contact@ayatii.com or on +971 543509790.
FAQ
Is site blocking legal?
In many countries courts or authorities can order ISPs to block access to piracy sites, but the rules depend on national law. Some countries have no clear route. Take legal advice for each country you care about.
Who applies for a blocking order?
Usually the rights holder, or a group of rights holders, through their lawyers. In countries with an administrative procedure, the application goes to the relevant regulator or authority instead of a court.
Does a blocking order stop people using a VPN?
No. Users with a VPN or alternative DNS can often reach a blocked site. Blocking is still useful because most casual users do not go to that effort, but it should be combined with other measures.
What is a dynamic blocking order?
An order that allows the list of blocked domains or addresses to be updated when the site moves to new mirrors, without a full new application each time. How updates are made depends on the terms of the order.
Ayatii
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Anti-piracy and brand protection, Dubai
Ayatii is an anti-piracy and brand protection company based in Dubai. The team monitors for unauthorised copies of streaming and broadcast content, verifies what it finds and handles takedowns with hosts, platforms, search engines and app stores.
To discuss protecting your content, write to contact@ayatii.com or call +971 543509790.
