The American Copyright Protection Act of 2026 (ACPA) has been introduced in the US Congress, proposing an unprecedented mechanism to combat online piracy. If approved, American internet service providers, DNS services, and major VPN providers will receive mandatory court orders. These measures will oblige companies to block access to foreign resources recognized by courts as pirated. The bill is registered under number H.R. 10364 and was introduced on September 14, 2026, by Congressman Darrell Issa.
Judicial Mechanism and Blocking Procedure
The new regulation involves a two-stage judicial procedure. First, a copyright holder must apply to a federal court and prove that a foreign online resource operates outside the US or hides its data, and its primary purpose is copyright infringement. Upon such a ruling, the plaintiff can seek individual injunctions against specific operators, including broadband providers, DNS services, and VPN companies.
Courts will be able to mandate these entities to take commercially reasonable measures to prevent US users from accessing banned websites. The bill itself does not mandate specific technical blocking methods. Providers are given 14 to 30 days to comply with a standard injunction.
Special Conditions for Broadcasts and Small Business Exceptions
Special attention is paid to time-sensitive events—content distributed simultaneously with premieres or within 24 hours. These include sports matches and concerts. At the same time, the bill protects small businesses and public infrastructure, excluding companies serving fewer than 100,000 users or subscribers per month in the US.
Controversial Data
The expert community has pointed out severe controversies in the text. The main disputes revolve around including VPN services and CDN networks in the scope of liability, as the bill does not clarify methods for determining users' geographic location. Conversely, authors provided a protective mechanism: affected operators can challenge improper blocking in court and claim damages up to $250,000.
