Thousands of websites taken offline for illegally streaming World Cup matches

©Luciano Oliveira via Unsplash

The U.S. Department of Justice has taken down or blocked nearly 3,000 websites and domains for illegally live-streaming World Cup matches. In the U.S. alone, more than 1,000 domains were targeted during the tournament. In Colombia, a similar situation occurred, with a comparable number of illegal streams being blocked.

The operation was part of two coordinated actions named “Operation Offsides” and “Operation Red Card.” In these operations, U.S. and South American law enforcement agencies collaborated to take down websites that were broadcasting World Cup matches without authorization. By the end of June, the U.S. Department of Justice had already shut down nearly 400 websites; since then, hundreds more domains have been taken down or blocked.

Ivan J. Arvelo, director of the U.S. National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, said that unauthorized broadcasts violate intellectual property rights and fuel criminal organizations. According to A. Tysen Duva, assistant attorney general at the DOJ (the U.S. Department of Justice), the large-scale operation demonstrates that the government takes the success of the World Cup and the protection of copyrights seriously.

ICE

The operation was largely led by ICE, the federal agency that also oversees the NIPRCC. FIFA, media companies such as NBC Universal and Warner Bros., and the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment also supported the operation. And there are, after all, important reasons for this remarkable collaboration. FIFA derives a large portion of its revenue from the sale of broadcast rights to international media partners. According to the authorities, illegal sports streams remain a major problem because many sites are set up specifically for major tournaments and attempt to make a quick profit through advertisements or subscriptions. Fans sometimes turn to free streams to avoid expensive sports subscriptions, but these sites also pose risks, such as malware and data theft.

In Colombia, four members of the cybercriminal group Los Ciberinfiltrados were also arrested for illegally distributing access to World Cup matches. In addition, 830 websites in countries including Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic were taken offline.

©Luciano Oliveira via Unslash - illustrative image