In a major blow to online piracy, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) has shut down Fmovies, the world’s largest pirate streaming operation, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The site and its affiliates, including bflixz, flixtorz, movies7, myflixer, and aniwave, attracted a staggering 6.7 billion visits between January 2023 and June 2024.
Fmovies launched in 2016 and quickly rose to prominence, ranking as the 11th most popular TV, movies, and streaming website. At its peak, the site received 374 million monthly visits. Its video hosting provider, Vidsrc.to, was also shut down as part of the crackdown, as reported by Engadget.
Two Vietnamese men connected to Fmovies have been arrested and await charges. This shutdown sends a strong message to those involved in illegal streaming operations. The US has also extradited Kim Dotcom, founder of Megaupload, to face charges for his video downloading empire.
The entertainment industry has suffered significant revenue losses due to piracy. As reported by The Verge, ACE Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin called the shutdown “a stunning victory for the creative community.” The MPA and ACE worked with Vietnamese authorities, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Department of Justice to bring the operators to justice.
Users of the Fmovies subreddit have discussed alternative pirating sites, with some expressing frustration and others acknowledging the importance of supporting the creative industry. This crackdown may lead to increased action against other popular pirating sites and a shift in consumer behavior towards legal streaming platforms.
