Standing up for the open Internet: why we appealed Italy's "Piracy Shield" fine

Cloudflare is engaged in a legal battle against the Italian regulatory scheme "Piracy Shield," which it argues undermines the fundamental architecture of the Internet by allowing media companies to control online content without traditional legal safeguards. The Piracy Shield, implemented by the Italian communications regulator AGCOM, requires service providers to block websites and IP addresses within 30 minutes of a request from private companies, leading to potential overblocking and disruption of legitimate sites. Despite being fined €14 million by AGCOM for non-compliance, Cloudflare is appealing the decision and challenging the legality of the regulation, asserting it violates EU laws like the Digital Services Act that mandate transparency, oversight, and due process. The European Commission has expressed similar concerns about the lack of oversight, and an Italian court has ordered AGCOM to disclose records supporting its blocking orders, although transparency issues persist. Cloudflare continues to advocate for a better Internet where global infrastructure remains free, open, and secure, and where rightsholders' interests are balanced with legal due process and the integrity of the Internet.