Major Victory for Entertainment Industry and Creative Community

Fmovies Shut Down in Global Anti-Piracy Operation

A significant victory has been achieved in the fight against online piracy with the shutdown of Fmovies, a major illegal streaming operation based in Vietnam. This international effort, led by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) and involving major Hollywood studios, collaborated with Hanoi police to dismantle Fmovies and its affiliated sites.

The operation also targeted video hosting provider Vidsrc.to and its associated websites, all operated by the same individuals. Two Vietnamese suspects have been arrested but remain uncharged.

Charles Rivkin, chairman of the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and ACE, hailed the shutdown as a momentous occasion for the global creative community. He emphasized that this action serves as a strong deterrent and underscores the commitment to ongoing collaboration with authorities to prosecute those responsible.

The operation targeted several other sites, including Bflixz, Flixtorz, Movies7, and Myflixer. This network, described as the largest pirate streaming network globally, garnered over 6.7 billion visits between January 2023 and June 2024.

Fmovies' notoriety is evident in its inclusion on the US Trade Representative's "notorious markets" list for counterfeiting and piracy since 2017. The USTR's latest report links Fmovies to over 60 domains involved in significant piracy operations.

Mr. Rivkin highlighted the misconception among consumers who unknowingly access pirated content. He emphasized the need for legislation enabling nationwide blocking of piracy sites, similar to existing laws in over 60 countries.

Marc E Knapper, US ambassador to Vietnam, acknowledged the importance of intellectual property rights in the US-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership. He commended Vietnam's commitment to intellectual property rights enforcement, fostering an environment where creators and inventors can flourish.