IPOPHL issues blocking request vs piracy site YTS

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) issued its first site-blocking request against 11 domains and subdomains of the piracy website YTS.

The domains were yts.mx, yts.rs, yts.do, ytsuproxy.to, yts.dirproxy.com, yts.unblocked.love, ytssss.jamsbase.com, yts.lt, yts.ag, yts.am, and torrents.yts.rs.

The IP Rights Enforcement Office (IEO) of IPOPHL found that these 11 sites engaged in piracy or copyright infringement, which violates Section 216 of the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines and the Rules on Voluntary Administrative Site Blocking.

“A thorough examination reveals that all of the aforementioned websites are hosting pirated versions of movies or TV shows, allowing users to access these illegal copies by downloading them through links on the same website or by streaming them online,” the IEO decision read.

The decision also stated that the websites are recorded in the data-sharing platform on piracy of the World Intellectual Property Organization.

YTS is also the home of YIFY, a site prolific in pirating copyrighted content. Citing a 2015 report by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPA), IPOPHL said YIFY has about 4,500 infringing film titles.

“We will continue to work closely with the Philippines’ government and creative industry in the fight against the scourge of digital piracy,” MPA said in a statement.

Members of the MPA include Netflix Studios, LLC; Paramount Pictures Corporation; Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc.; Universal City Studios LLC; Disney Enterprises, Inc.; and Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.

On May 16, the National Telecommunications Commission ordered internet service providers to block the websites of YTS and report the actions they have implemented. — DVM, GMA Integrated News