Bipartisan ‘Block BEARD Act’ Moves Forward—Bill Targets Large-Scale Foreign Piracy Operations

The Block BEARD Act, a bipartisan bill targeting large-scale foreign piracy operations, moves forward with applause from the industry.

U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) have introduced a discussion draft of the Block Bad Electronic Art and Recording Distributors (BEARD) Act of 2025. This bipartisan legislation would allow copyright owners who have had their property stolen to seek U.S. federal court action to block dedicated foreign online piracy operations from making that stolen content available to American households.

To obtain relief, copyright holders would be required to present evidence of specific harm and demonstrate the criminal nature of the targeted site. Courts could then direct internet service providers to block access to the identified sites, while granting those providers immunity from liability, including for claims related to the petitioner’s actions.

The legislation includes strong public interest safeguards to protect free expression, due process, and legitimate online services operating in compliance with U.S. law. This targeted legal tool mirrors successful approaches used in over 50 democratic countries to curb foreign piracy operations that undermine creative industry jobs and expose users to malware, identity theft, and fraud.

“Foreign piracy sites are stealing from American creators, threatening good-paying jobs, and exposing U.S. consumers to real online harms via malware, identity theft, and the like,” said Senator Tillis. “The Block BEARD Act gives us a smart, targeted tool to stop these criminal operations at the source without infringing on legitimate speech or due process. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan discussion to protect our creative economy and digital security, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the House to address this important matter.”

“Foreign websites pirating American movies, TV shows, art, and books steal tens of billions of dollars from the U.S. economy each year,” said Senator Coons. “This costs our creative community hundreds of thousands of jobs. Today, the United States takes an important step to join the many other nations around the world that have taken steps to crack down on foreign IP theft. This bipartisan legislation will give Americans the tools they need to protect their intellectual property rights, while ensuring the internet remains a vibrant forum of free speech. I look forward to working with my colleagues and with stakeholders on all sides of this issue to advance this much-needed bill.”

“Tennessee’s thriving creative community must be protected from the theft of creative works by foreign criminals,” said Senator Blackburn. “Foreign piracy operations jeopardize the American creative industry through phishing, identity theft, and financial fraud, and the Block BEARD Act would protect creators by enabling them to pursue legal action in U.S. federal courts against these criminals.”

“I’m proud to join my colleagues in this effort to protect creators and consumers alike from foreign criminal enterprises seeking to steal our intellectual property and exploit Americans,” said Senator Schiff. “As Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property and a steadfast advocate for the creative community, I understand that robust protections are essential for innovation and economic growth in the digital age. This commonsense approach will provide the courts with the tools they need to combat foreign piracy operations and help level the playing field for American artists and creators who deserve to be fairly compensated for their work.”

“We are grateful to Senators Tillis, Coons, Blackburn, and Schiff for their leadership in crafting a carefully tailored proposal that empowers U.S. federal courts to protect consumers, rightsholders, and markets from large-scale foreign piracy while preserving the protections contained in the DMCA,” said Mitch Glazier, Chairman and CEO, Recording Industry Association of America. “Similar tools have been proven effective around the world over the last ten years with no harm to speech, internet infrastructure or security, or participation online, and we strongly support this effort to create a simple, effective, judicial remedy with due process in the U.S.”

“Piracy steals hundreds of thousands of jobs from the film and television industry, drains billions from the U.S. economy, and puts millions of American consumers at risk—and the Block BEARD Act will provide us with a safe and effective way to counter this danger and combat large-scale copyright infringement,” said Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO, Motion Picture Association. “With bold leadership from Senators Tillis, Coons, Blackburn, and Schiff, the Block BEARD Act will equip our nation with a tool that’s worked in dozens of countries worldwide: a narrow, targeted means to fight the worst forms of foreign piracy while protecting free speech and the rule of law.”

“The Copyright Alliance thanks Senators Tillis, Coons, Blackburn, and Schiff for their commitment to protecting consumers, creators, and markets by combating foreign-based commercial-scale piracy,” said Copyright Alliance CEO Keith Kupferschmid. “The Block BEARD Act would empower U.S. federal courts to address foreign piracy while preserving the protections contained in the DMCA, free speech, and an open and secure internet. Similar mechanisms have proven effective in dozens of countries worldwide, and we look forward to working with the senators, as well as with other policymakers and stakeholders, to ensure that carefully tailored legislation that protects the United States from foreign-based commercial-scale piracy becomes law.”