Cloudflare defies Italy’s Piracy Shield, won’t block websites on 1.1.1.1 DNS

January 10, 2026

TL;DR

Italy's AGCOM fined Cloudflare 14.2 million euros for not blocking pirate sites on its 1.1.1.1 DNS service.
The fine was issued under Italy's Piracy Shield law, which requires blocking access to infringing domains and IP addresses.
Cloudflare stated it will fight the penalty and is considering removing its servers from Italy.
Cloudflare argued that implementing the blocks would negatively impact DNS resolution and latency for legitimate websites.
Critics of the Piracy Shield law cite concerns about overblocking, service disruptions for legitimate sites, and a lack of transparency and due process.
The Piracy Shield law, adopted in 2024, aims to block piracy-related content within 30 minutes.
Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince criticized the law as a censorship scheme and plans to discuss the issue with US government officials.
Cloudflare is considering several actions, including discontinuing pro bono cybersecurity services for the Milano-Cortina Olympics and removing all servers from Italy.
The Piracy Shield law has led to the blocking of over 65,000 domains and 14,000 IP addresses in the past two years.
Trade groups like CCIA and Italian ISP associations have criticized the law for potential overblocking and conflicts with individual freedoms and European legislation.

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