In a significant blow to online piracy, a collaborative effort between international law enforcement and the entertainment industry has resulted in the shuttering of numerous illegal streaming platforms. The operation, spearheaded by Vietnamese authorities in partnership with the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), targeted what has been dubbed "the largest pirate streaming operation in the world."

At the center of this crackdown was Fmovies, a notorious piracy ring that had been a thorn in the side of content creators and distributors since its inception in 2016. According to ACE, the Hanoi-based outfit encompassed a network of illicit streaming sites, including bflixz, flixtorz, movies7, myflixer, and aniwave. The scale of Fmovies' operations was staggering, with the organization reportedly attracting over 6.7 billion visits between January 2023 and June 2024.

Charles Rivkin, CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and chairman of ACE, hailed the takedown as a monumental achievement. "We took down the mothership here," Rivkin told Variety, emphasizing the strategic shift in combating digital piracy. "There was a time when piracy was Whac-a-Mole... Today, we go after piracy at its root."

The operation not only disabled Fmovies but also took down Vidsrc.to, described by ACE as "a notorious video hosting provider operated by the same suspects." This coordinated action affected hundreds of additional dedicated piracy sites, dealing a severe blow to the ecosystem of illegal content distribution.

The significance of Fmovies in the piracy landscape was underscored by its inclusion in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's "notorious markets" list for counterfeiting and piracy since 2017. At its peak in 2023, Fmovies ranked as the 11th most popular website globally in the TV, movies, and streaming category, according to data analytics company SimilarWeb.

Rivkin framed the takedown as a victory for the entire creative industry, stating, "With the leadership of ACE and the partnership of the Ministry of Public Security and the Hanoi Municipal Police, we are countering criminal activity, defending the safety of audiences, reducing risks posed to tens of millions of consumers, and protecting the rights and livelihoods of creators."

The entertainment industry has long argued that shutting down piracy sites leads to increased traffic on legitimate streaming platforms. A 2013 study by Carnegie Mellon researchers, often cited by the MPA, estimated that in the 18 weeks following the shutdown of file-sharing site Megaupload, two studios saw their digital movie revenue across 12 countries increase by 6.5%-8.5% compared to projections if Megaupload had remained operational.

Rivkin also noted the deceptive nature of some piracy sites, telling Variety, "Some of these sites are as clean and beautiful as, say, a Netflix. It seems to be too good to be true -- and it is."

Larissa Knapp, executive vice president and chief content protection officer at the MPA, stressed the deterrent effect of such high-profile takedowns. She expressed anticipation for "ongoing joint efforts with Vietnamese authorities, US Homeland Security Investigations, and the US Department of Justice International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) program to bring the criminal operators to justice."

The operation has garnered praise from diplomatic circles as well. Marc E. Knapper, U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, commented on the significance of the action within the context of U.S.-Vietnam relations, saying in a statement per Variety, "Strengthening intellectual property rights is an important element of the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership. These prosecutions demonstrate Vietnam's commitment to intellectual property rights enforcement, contributing to an economic ecosystem where creators and inventors can thrive."

The Vietnamese film industry also welcomed the crackdown. Ngo Phuong Lan, chairwoman of the Vietnam Film Development Association (VFDA), highlighted the importance of intellectual property protection for the country's burgeoning movie sector, stating, "The Vietnamese movie industry is at a pivotal stage of development, transitioning from a state-subsidized production model to a rapidly growing phase driven by private-sector involvement... Intellectual property rights protection is a crucial element for our industry's success."

Despite this significant victory, the battle against online piracy is far from over. The MPA continues to advocate for stronger legislative measures to combat illegal streaming. Rivkin has expressed support for U.S. legislation that would enable nationwide blocking of piracy sites, similar to laws already in place in over 60 other countries.

Dozens of Movie Piracy Sites Just Got Shut Down