Quad9 to Block Piracy Streaming Sites Globally Following Court Order

Quad9, originally established by IBM, is a well-known public DNS server now operated by the Switzerland-based Quad9 Foundation, a non-profit entity.

Recently, Quad9 has been embroiled in a legal battle with an Italian court and copyright agencies. The dispute arises from demands that Quad9 block access to certain piracy streaming sites through its DNS system, a move forced upon the organization by court orders.

Media conglomerate Canal +, which holds broadcasting rights for prestigious events like the UEFA Champions League and the English Premier League, has seen these piracy sites already blocked by ISPs within Italy. However, the use of alternative DNS servers, such as Quad9, allows users to circumvent these blocks.

Despite reluctance, Quad9 has confirmed it will comply with the global block on domains submitted by Canal +, in accordance with the court's directive, though it plans to continue its appeal.

Other public DNS providers, including Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1, Cisco's public DNS, and Google's public DNS, have also received orders to implement blocks. These providers resist such actions, arguing that DNS should only resolve content. Enforcing blocks could, they argue, compromise internet security by altering DNS functions.

Moreover, the effectiveness of blocking piracy sites via public DNS is questionable. With many lesser-known DNS servers available, users can simply switch DNS to regain access. Unless copyright agencies can mandate a global block across all public DNS, including privately operated servers, the approach seems futile.