Google has begun complying with EU "Piracy Shield" orders, blocking access to copyright-infringing sites through its public DNS services (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4). The move follows legal pressure under the new Digital Services Act (DSA), requiring ISPs and DNS providers to enforce real-time blocking of piracy domains. Initial blocks target 50+ major torrent and streaming sites, with the list updated hourly. While effective in Europe, the blocks can be bypassed using alternative DNS or VPNs. Critics warn this sets a dangerous precedent for internet censorship, while copyright holders hail it as a victory. The blocks currently affect only Google's public DNS, not Chrome or Search results.
Blocked Targets:
- Major torrent indexes (The Pirate Bay, RARBG clones)
- Sports streaming hubs (Streameast, Buffstreams)
- 27 "mirror domains" updated every 90 minutes
Block Method:
- NXDOMAIN responses for blacklisted sites
- No IP-level blocking (direct IP access still works)
- HTTPS interception prevented per Google's transparency policies
Confirmed Workarounds:
- Switch to Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or Quad9 (9.9.9.9) DNS
- Use DoH/DoT (DNS-over-HTTPS/TLS) endpoints
- Firefox's "Trusted Recursive Resolver" bypasses blocks automatically
The system currently doesn't purge DNS caches, meaning brief access may persist after blocks. Android users report inconsistent enforcement across devices.