Delhi HC asks to block over 160 piracy websites streaming Stranger Things, Friends and others

Piracy remains one of the biggest threats to the world of cinema, and the Delhi High Court has taken strict action against pirated websites that illegally broadcast popular shows and movies such as Stranger Things, Squid Game, Friends, and many others.

The plea was filed by Warner Bros Entertainment Inc. against multiple websites that were providing viewers access to copyrighted content.

Delhi High Court blocks pirated sites.

In the recent verdict, the Delhi High Court granted a ‘Dynamic+ injunction’ in favour of entertainment sites Warner Bros, Netflix, Apple, Disney and Crunchyroll, which are home to several of the iconic shows and movies.

Justice Tejas Karia issued directions against over 160 websites that were broadcasting copyrighted content.

The court observed that the plaintiffs had made out a prima facie case for the grant of an ex parte ad interim injunction, noting the urgent need for immediate relief to prevent significant financial losses.

''Balance of convenience is in favour of the Plaintiffs and against the Infringing Websites. Irreparable injury would be caused to the Plaintiffs if an ex parte ad interim injunction is not granted. The need for immediate relief is particularly pressing in this case as the Infringing Websites are making available the Plaintiffs’ Copyrighted Works, which could lead to significant financial losses for the Plaintiffs,” the court said in its order.

In its plea, Warner Bros stated that it is the owner and authorised distributor of several films and shows in India, including Friends, Stranger Things (Seasons 1–4), Squid Game (Season 1), Finding Dory, The Jungle Book, Suicide Squad, and The Conjuring 2.

As a result, the company holds exclusive rights to protect this content under intellectual property laws.

In the suit filed seeking a permanent injunction against the piracy website, Warner Bros statement that websites are illegally offering the content to stream and download.

The court also observed the ‘’hydra-headed nature'' of piracy websites, which frequently shift and migrate content. On this basis, the court found it appropriate to grant a Dynamic+ injunction. For the unversed, this remedy allows authorities to block access to pirated platforms regardless of changes in domain names or IP addresses. It helps curb digital piracy by preventing the migration of content from one website to another under new names, a common practice among such platforms.

Speaking of Stranger Things Season 5, which premieres on Netflix, a paid OTT platform, the show last season was released in three different volumes. And within a few minutes of the release, the each volume was available on several pirated websites.