LALIGA mistakenly blocks 500,000 innocent websites in Spain

What happened?

For much of 2023, internet users in Spain have lost access to large swaths of the web on LALIGA match days. These were not pirate streams, but human rights sites, climate organizations, SMEs, and business tools. A report published by The Next Web, based on data from consultancy S21sec, quantifies the damage: more than 500,000 innocent websites were blocked as a side effect of court orders obtained by LALIGA to combat piracy of its broadcasts. The study analyzed 2,000 blocked IP addresses between January and October 2023 and found that 99.9% of affected sites were legitimate. Among them were 28 charities, 12 local government sites, 6 educational platforms, and 4 domestic violence helplines. The blocking was carried out during match weekends, affecting peaks of up to 100,000 sites per day. The methodology: LALIGA obtained court orders forcing ISPs to block entire IP addresses, without distinguishing between illegal streaming servers and other services hosted on the same IP.

Why is this important?

This case is an extreme example of the risks of mass IP blocking, a practice criticized by digital rights organizations such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the Asociación de Internautas. LALIGA has used court orders that force internet service providers (ISPs) to block IP addresses associated with servers streaming pirated content. However, many of those IPs are shared by multiple legitimate websites (shared hosting, CDNs), causing thousands of unrelated sites to go down when an IP is blocked. The report notes that 99.9% of affected sites were legitimate, including charities, local government sites, and educational platforms. The economic impact is estimated at millions of euros in losses for businesses that depend on their online presence, such as e-commerce stores and SaaS services. Additionally, the blocking affected business tools like CRMs and project management platforms, disrupting company operations during critical hours. Socially, access to essential information and services was restricted, such as domestic violence helplines and climate activism platforms. Legally, the incident has generated pressure to reform intellectual property legislation, both in Spain and the EU, and could lead to lawsuits against LALIGA and ISPs for damages.

Consequences and context

This is not an isolated incident. In 2021, a similar blocking order in the UK, requested by the Premier League, affected more than 100,000 sites, according to a University of Cambridge study. The difference in Spain is the scale: half a million sites, five times more. Additionally, in Italy, the anti-piracy fight has led to mass blocks that have affected news sites and legitimate streaming platforms. The consequences are multiple:

• Economic: Loss of revenue for legitimate businesses that depend on their online presence. According to the report, 30% of affected sites were online stores or professional services, with estimated losses of €2,000 per hour of downtime.
• Social: Restricted access to essential information and services. For example, a domestic violence helpline in Andalusia was inaccessible for three consecutive weekends, potentially preventing victims from receiving assistance.
• Legal: Possible lawsuits against LALIGA and ISPs for damages, as well as pressure to reform intellectual property legislation. The European Commission has already expressed concern over the excessive use of IP blocking.

Furthermore, the incident undermines trust in net neutrality and the ability of authorities to balance copyright protection with fundamental rights to internet access. Organizations like the EFF have called the case “unacceptable collateral damage” and urged the adoption of more precise techniques, such as URL or DNS blocking.

What should readers know?

If you manage a website hosted in Spain, check that your hosting provider does not share IPs with servers suspected of piracy. Consider using dedicated IPs or CDN services with protection against blocks. As a user, if you cannot access a legitimate site on LALIGA match days, it may be caught in a collateral block. Report it to your ISP and digital rights organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) or the Asociación de Internautas. You can also use tools like “Is It Down Right Now?” to verify if the block is widespread. For businesses, it is advisable to diversify hosting infrastructure and maintain backups on alternative servers. ISPs, for their part, should implement URL or DNS-level blocking systems instead of IP, as already done in other countries like Germany.

“The collateral damage from these blocks is unacceptable. A more precise approach that does not punish innocent websites is needed.” — Analyst at TheVortiq

Looking ahead

The report will likely fuel debate on reforming anti-piracy legislation in the EU. The European Commission is already reviewing the Copyright Directive and may include safeguards to prevent mass blocking. Meanwhile, LALIGA will have to answer for the damages caused, and ISPs will need to implement more selective technical measures, such as URL blocking instead of IP. The lesson for other leagues and rights holders is clear: poorly designed technological solutions can cause more problems than they solve. In the UK, after the 2021 incident, the Premier League adopted a dynamic URL blocking system that reduced collateral damage by 90%. Spain should follow that example. Additionally, the case reinforces the need for greater transparency in court blocking orders and the involvement of all affected parties in the process.