U.S. Congress Introduces Bill Targeting VPNs to Block Foreign Sites

U.S. Congress introduced legislation that would require internet service providers and VPNs to block foreign websites designated as 'piracy sites' by copyright owners, risking digital exclusion for ma

U.S. Congress introduced the American Copyright Protection Act (H.R. 10364), sponsored by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), which mandates internet service providers, DNS providers, and VPN providers to block access to foreign websites labeled 'foreign piracy sites' by copyright owners. Crucially, copyright owners can designate these sites without the accused website appearing in court to contest the designation—a mechanism that bypasses due process. The bill includes procedural safeguards like legal notice, response opportunities, court review of potential harm, bond posting, and post-blocking compensation, but these do not resolve the core issue of website designation without defense. Real-world examples show the scale of potential harm: in Italy, 510 benign non-streaming websites were blocked under similar programs, and Spain blocked over 550,000 domains during soccer broadcasts. This bill advances security concerns by creating new digital barriers, but its primary impact is friction in connection—threatening digital inclusion for marginalized groups who rely on VPNs for privacy and access. The bill remains in development, with the source published October 2, 2026. What to watch: Implementation could disproportionately block essential services for communities without legal resources to contest designations, especially as copyright owners may designate sites without evidence of infringement. The safeguards noted by the source do not address the fundamental due process flaw that allows arbitrary blocking without defense.

Source: EFF Deeplinks