Reject H.R. 10364's Flawed Copyright Enforcement Scheme

I am writing to urge you to oppose H.R. 10364, the American Copyright Protection Act of 2026. While protecting intellectual property is important, this bill represents a dangerous and misguided approach that would establish a censorship infrastructure damaging to internet freedom and legitimate online activity. The bill would require internet service providers, DNS providers, and VPN services to block access to websites designated as "foreign piracy sites" by federal courts. This sounds reasonable in theory, but the real-world consequences are catastrophic. Europe's experience with similar site-blocking regimes demonstrates the inevitable collateral damage. Italy's Piracy Shield system blocked over 500 legitimate websites, including a Catholic convent and telehealth platforms, with some remaining offline for nearly a year. Spain's blocking system inadvertently blocked millions of domains during sports broadcasts, catching sites operated by Harvard University and Greenpeace. These were not isolated incidents but predictable outcomes of blunt-force blocking mechanisms. H.R. 10364 makes this problem worse by targeting VPN providers and broadening the definition of what constitutes a piracy site. The bill's language allowing courts to block sites with only "limited commercially significant purpose" would capture websites with legitimate business models alongside actual piracy operations. Websites cannot appear in court to defend themselves against designation, relying instead on a court-appointed special master who lacks the resources and expertise to adequately protect their interests. The bill also fails to address due process and free speech concerns. Unlike previous iterations Congress wisely rejected, H.R. 10364 removes protections for VPN-only services and encrypted DNS providers, tools millions of Americans rely on for privacy and security. These are not piracy tools; they are essential infrastructure. Congress abandoned site-blocking proposals over a decade ago when the public rejected SOPA and PIPA. The fundamental problems that made those bills unworkable remain unchanged. Building this censorship infrastructure now would be a grave mistake that harms innovation, privacy, and the open internet Americans depend on. I urge you to vote against H.R. 10364.