Issa introduces American Copyright Protection Act
US Congressman Darrell Issa has introduced the American Copyright Protection Act of 2026, H.R. 10364, aimed at combating foreign online piracy and strengthening protection for American creators whose copyrighted works are illegally distributed by overseas websites. Issa chairs the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet.
The legislation would establish a judicial site blocking framework in the United States. Copyright owners would first be able to seek a determination from a federal court that a foreign website is engaged in copyright piracy. Following such a determination, rights holders could petition the court to require US internet service providers to take commercially reasonable measures to prevent users in the United States from accessing the infringing website.
The proposed system includes safeguards intended to protect legitimate websites, internet users and service providers. Parties affected by a blocking order would have an opportunity to challenge it or request modifications. Courts would also be required to consider factors including technical feasibility, possible unintended consequences and the broader public interest before imposing blocking measures.
The Motion Picture Association strongly welcomed the proposal. MPA Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin described judicial site blocking as a tool already widely used internationally and said the legislation could bring the United States closer to approaches adopted in other democratic countries. The MPA views the bill as part of a broader bipartisan and bicameral effort to strengthen protection against digital piracy.
The legislation has attracted support from a broad coalition of organizations representing film, music, publishing, gaming, sports and intellectual property interests. Supporters include the Motion Picture Association, Recording Industry Association of America, Association of American Publishers, American Bar Association, Entertainment Software Association, Nintendo, Premier League, UFC, TV Academy and the UK Intellectual Property Office.
Overall, the proposal represents a significant attempt to introduce court ordered piracy site blocking in the United States, targeting foreign piracy services while incorporating judicial oversight and mechanisms designed to limit unintended blocking of legitimate online services.
