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Cloudflare CEO Battles Italy Over Piracy Fine
13 Jan
Summary
- Italy fined Cloudflare 14.2 million euros for not blocking pirated content.
- CEO Matthew Prince cited global censorship fears and 30-minute takedown demands.
- Cloudflare may withdraw services from Italy and the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Italy has levied a significant fine of 14.2 million euros against Cloudflare, accusing the company of failing to block access to pirated content. This regulatory action has sparked a strong reaction from Cloudflare's CEO, Matthew Prince, who has publicly denounced the penalties.
Prince expressed strong opposition to Italy's Piracy Shield policies, arguing that compliance would enable a "shadowy cabal" to dictate global internet content within an unfeasible 30-minute timeframe. He stated Cloudflare already blocks piracy but cannot implement a system with such stringent, worldwide removal demands.
As a consequence of this dispute, Cloudflare is contemplating several actions, including withdrawing its cybersecurity services from the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, removing its servers from Italian cities, and halting future investments in the country. Prince has indicated he may also involve US government officials in the matter.
