Olympics Pulled Into Fight Over Italy’s Anti-Piracy Laws
A Sportico-related topic concerns an escalating dispute between Cloudflare and Italian regulators over a strict anti-piracy enforcement regime known as Piracy Shield, which has broader implications for streaming rights and cyber-security at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. Italy’s communications authority, AGCOM, fined Cloudflare around €14 million (roughly 1 % of the company’s global revenue) after the internet infrastructure provider allegedly failed to block copyright-infringing streams and sites quickly enough through its 1.1.1.1 DNS service under the Piracy Shield rules designed to curb illegal live sports streaming. Cloudflare’s CEO, Matthew Prince, publicly criticised the regime as disproportionate and lacking due process, arguing that enforcing automated blocks at DNS level can harm legitimate services and equates to “censoring the internet.” In response, Prince has threatened to withdraw Cloudflare’s free cybersecurity services from Italy, including pro-bono protection intended for the Milano-Cortina Olympics, and even pull its infrastructure and future investments from the country if the dispute isn’t resolved. The clash highlights tension between national laws targeting piracy, global digital infrastructure, and the delivery of high-visibility online services like sports streaming and event cybersecurity.
