In a major victory for the entertainment industry, a global anti-piracy effort led to the shutdown of Fmovies.to, a massive illegal streaming operation. This takedown, spearheaded by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), a powerful coalition that includes giants like Netflix and Disney, involved close collaboration with Vietnamese authorities.
Fmovies wasn’t alone. The operation also dismantled Vidsrc.to, a video hosting platform believed to be linked to Fmovies, and several other related streaming websites – Bflixz, Flixtorz, Movies7, and Myflixer. According to ACE, this network represented the world’s largest pirate streaming operation, attracting a staggering 6.7 billion visits in just six months.
This takedown is a significant win for creative professionals. Charles Rivkin, head of both the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and ACE, hailed it as a major victory for actors, writers, studios, and the entire creative community. Larissa Knapp, a high-ranking official with the MPA, emphasized the message this sends to those involved in online piracy. Looking forward, Knapp expressed optimism for continued collaboration between Vietnamese and US authorities in combating this global issue.
This operation wasn’t a random act. Fmovies, with a significant US audience, has likely been a target for ACE for some time. Its inclusion on the US Trade Representative’s notorious piracy markets list further suggests this. The takedown of Fmovies and its network shows the effectiveness of international cooperation in tackling online piracy.
