A bipartisan federal proposal backed by North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis is raising questions about online piracy, website blocking and internet freedom. The DEFEND IP Act would give copyright owners a new court process to restrict U.S. access to certain foreign piracy websites. Supporters say it would protect creators and consumers from overseas piracy. 

How Would the DEFEND IP Act Work?

Copyright owners could ask a federal judge to designate a foreign online location as a piracy site, then request a separate order requiring covered providers to block access.

The proposal covers broadband providers with at least 50,000 subscribers and public DNS providers earning more than $100 million annually. Courts would consider technical feasibility, effects on lawful content and less burdensome alternatives. 

Would VPN Services Be Affected?

The bill excludes entities that exclusively provide VPN services or similar encrypted traffic-routing services. That wording should not be interpreted as a blanket exemption for every company offering a VPN alongside other services. 

Why Is the Bill Controversial?

Supporters, including Tillis and entertainment-industry organizations, argue that court-supervised blocking would protect creative work and reduce exposure to malware and fraud. 

Public Knowledge opposes the proposal, warning that broad blocking could disrupt legitimate websites and hurt small businesses. The organization also raises concerns about censorship, global DNS blocking and the cost of challenging an erroneous block. 

Why It Matters to Raleigh

For Raleigh’s creators, business owners and streaming audiences, the debate raises a practical question: how can copyright enforcement protect creative work while preserving reliable access to lawful online content?

Introduced September 24, 2026, as S. 5529 and H.R. 10575, the bills were referred to their respective Judiciary committees. The blocking provisions described here are proposed changes. 

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