A Spanish court has ordered NordVPN and ProtonVPN to block 16 websites that facilitate piracy of LaLiga football matches in Spain. The precautionary measures were issued inaudita parte and apply to a dynamic list of IP addresses inside Spain with no opportunity for appeal.
KEY FACTS
- Incident Court ordered VPN providers to block piracy sites
- Targets NordVPN and ProtonVPN
- Scope 16 websites and a dynamic list of IP addresses in Spain
- Procedure Precautionary measures issued inaudita parte with no appeal
In a press release LaLiga said the orders identify how VPN systems can distort geographic location to enable access to websites that broadcast protected content illegally and note that some providers advertise the ability to evade restrictions.
The court granted precautionary measures requiring the two VPN providers to block 16 websites that facilitate the piracy of football matches. The restrictions apply to a dynamic list of IP addresses within Spain. The measures were taken inaudita parte, which means the defendants were not called to participate in a hearing, and there is no avenue for appeal.
ProtonVPN on X: “Any judicial order issued without proper notification to the affected parties, thereby denying them the opportunity to be heard, would be procedurally invalid under fundamental principles of due process.”
NordVPN spokesperson Laura Tyrylyte: “At this stage, we have not received the judicial documents mentioned in the press so it will be premature to comment without having reviewed them. We were not part of any Spanish judicial proceedings to our knowledge, and therefore had no opportunity to defend ourselves. Given such judgments impact on how the Internet operates, such an approach by rightsholders is unacceptable”
The organiser and broadcasting partner Telefónica must preserve sufficient digital evidence of unlawful transmissions. The organisations contend the providers fall under the EU Digital Services Regulation and therefore have duties to help prevent copyright infringement carried out through their infrastructure. The measures are likely to affect reputable paid VPN services more than free services, which are often harder to regulate.
WHY IT MATTERS
The ruling sets a precedent for holding VPN providers to obligations under EU rules and could change how streaming piracy is addressed in Spain. The decision may shift enforcement efforts from end users to service intermediaries and infrastructure.