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The Canadian band will play its last concerts at Toronto’s History in November
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Directed by Corbett Jones and Nick Simonite, the visual consists of one unbroken shot
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The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) is the world’s most active anti-piracy coalition, initiating and assisting enforcement efforts around the world.Most anti-piracy actions are focused on streaming sites and services, many of which are located in or operated from Vietnam.
ACE previously visited Vietnam and met with government officials to explore potential solutions to address the problem. However, aside from some incidental successes, the problem persists.
Earlier this year, rightsholders flagged the Asian country as a ‘haven’ for pirate sites. In a letter to the US Trade Representative, IIPA pointed out several problematic sites and services, including Fmovies, AniWave, 123movies, BestBuyIPTV, 2embed, and Y2mate.
Vumoo.to Takedown
The above-mentioned sites remain online at the time of writing, but ACE did book a new success this week by taking the popular pirate streaming site Vumoo.to offline.
On Sunday, the nameservers of Vumoo.to were updated to ns3.films.org and ns4.films.org, which typically signals ACE taking control. And indeed, the group confirmed to TorrentFreak that Vumoo.to is currently offline following ACE action in Vietnam.
Jan van Voorn, MPA’s Chief of Global Content Protection and head of ACE, says the takedown was not assisted by third parties such as domain registries or registrars. ACE worked directly with the operator of the site, who presumably took it offline voluntarily.
Vumoo.to first came online in 2016 and built a large audience in the years that followed. With well over 12 million monthly visits, the streaming portal was a sizable target and a key one for ACE.
Perpetual Crackdown?
How the anti-piracy group tracked down Vumoo’s operator isn’t mentioned, but ACE has been gathering information for years. Through U.S. courts, the group previously obtained DMCA subpoenas requiring the Tonic domain registry and Cloudflare to share all useful info they have on the site.
Pirate sites often use false information to register domains, so this information may have led to nothing. However, local connections and OSINT may ultimately have helped to pinpoint the site’s operator.
With the ‘takedown’ of Vumoo.to, ACE can chalk up yet another success but whether it will last remains to be seen. Previous Vietnamese actions against sites such as Zoro.to and 2embed had mixed results, as these sites soon came back ‘under new management‘ or in ‘cloned’ versions.
From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.
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TL;DR: Stream the 2024 Six Nations for free on BBC iPlayer and ITVX. Access these free streaming services from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
It's going to be very difficult for 2024 to compete with 2023 when it comes to international rugby. Last year we were treated to an electric Six Nations, a long list of competitive international test matches, and of course, the Rugby World Cup. That's tough to beat.
This year is going to be very quiet in comparison, but don't be fooled into thinking the Six Nations is going to be any less competitive. The Six Nations is always fiery, and we're expecting a lot of intense battles between some of the best sides in the world.
If you want to watch the 2024 Six Nationsn for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
What is the Six Nations?
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international men's rugby union competition between England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales. Each team plays every other team once, with home ground advantage alternating from one year to the next.
The current champions are Ireland.
When is the 2024 Six Nations?
The 2024 Six Nations Championship is the 130th edition of the competition, but only the 25th since it expanded to become the Six Nations Championship in 2000. This year's competition will take place from Feb. 2 to March 16.
How to watch the 2024 Six Nations for free
You can watch every game from the Six Nations for free on the BBC or ITV. You can also live stream every fixture for free on BBC iPlayer or ITVX.
BBC iPlayer and ITVX are both geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone from around the world can access these free streaming platforms with a VPN. These popular tools can hide your digital location and connect you to a secure server in the UK. This quick and easy action makes it look like you're connecting from the UK, so you can stream on BBC iPlayer and ITVX from anywhere in the world.
Unblock BBC iPlayer and ITVX by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit BBC iPlayer or ITVX
Stream the 2024 Six Nations for free
Opens in a new windowCredit: ExpressVPNExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free)£82.82 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to BBC iPlayer or ITVX without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to stream most of the 2024 Six Nations before recovering your investment.
2024 Six Nations schedule
Once you have established access to the 2024 Six Nations for free, you'll want to make note of the fixture schedule and broadcasting partner for each game:
Feb. 2 — France vs. Ireland (8 p.m. GMT on ITV)
Feb. 3 — Italy vs. England (2:15 p.m. GMT on ITV)
Feb. 3 — Wales vs. Scotland (4:45 p.m. GMT on BBC)
Feb. 10 — Scotland vs. France (2:15 p.m. GMT on BBC)
Feb. 10 — England vs. Wales (4:45 p.m. GMT on ITV)
Feb. 11 — Ireland vs. Italy (3 p.m. GMT GMT on ITV)
Feb. 24 — Ireland vs. Wales (2:15 p.m. GMT on ITV)
Feb. 24 — Scotland vs. England (4:45 p.m. GMT on BBC)
Feb. 25 — France vs. Italy (3 p.m. GMT on ITV)
March 9 — Italy vs. Scotland (2:15 p.m. GMT on ITV)
March 9 — England vs. Ireland (4:45 p.m. GMT on ITV)
March 10 — Wales vs. France (3 p.m. GMT on BBC)
March 16 — Wales vs. Italy (2:15 p.m. GMT on BBC)
March 16 — Ireland vs. Scotland (4:45 p.m. GMT on ITV)
March 16 — France vs. England (8 p.m. GMT on ITV)
Keep these dates in mind and clear your schedule. It's the only thing that really matters at this time of year.
What is the best VPN for streaming sport?
ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream sport for free, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 94 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
Fast connection speeds
Up to five simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Watch the 2024 Six Nations for free with ExpressVPN.
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UPDATE: Mar. 12, 2024, 11:00 a.m. UTC This article has been updated with the latest streaming and digital release information, as well as additional Oscars info.
In a year full of exceptional cinema, 10 films stood out enough to snag Oscar nominations for Best Picture. Narrowing the best movies of the year down to only 10 was something we found virtually impossible, so it's no surprise there are some snubs this year. Regardless, the ones who managed to nab a nomination are definitely worth a watch, including Best Picture winner Oppenheimer.
SEE ALSO: All the winners from the 2024 OscarsIf you'd like to get up to date on the best films of the year (at least by the Academy's standards), we've rounded up the best ways to watch all 10. Queue 'em up for a truly outstanding movie marathon.
American Fiction
Part family drama and part showbiz satire, Cord Jefferson's directorial debut hits all the right notes. It features a star-studded cast that boasts Tracee Ellis Ross, Erika Alexander, John Ortiz, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, Keith David, Issa Rae, and Sterling K. Brown. American Fiction was nominated for five Oscars, with Cord Jefferson winning the gold for Best Adapted Screenplay.
What's it about?
"Jeffrey Wright stars as Monk Ellison, a Black novelist with an upper-middle-class background who is battling on both the personal and professional fronts. At home, his family is reeling from a huge loss. At work, his prose isn't staying within the narrow expectations white editors (and audiences) have for Black stories, so his latest novel is gathering dust. Fed up, Monk plays to the racist stereotypes of drugs, crime, and bad dads in a bombastic new book. What begins as a joke swiftly snowballs into a hit that pushes the vexed intellectual into a snarling alter ego from the streets." — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor
Read Mashable's review of American Fiction.
How to watch it: Buy on digital
Opens in a new windowCredit: Amazon Prime VideoStill in select theaters across the country, American Fiction is now available at digital retailers like Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV, so you can add it to your digital library. It will also be available to rent as of March 8 — just ahead of the Oscars. It's currently $19.99 to buy the 4K or UHD version.
Anatomy of a Fall
A courthouse drama from French director Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall is a dissection of a troubled marriage. It stars Sandra Hüller as German novelist Sandra, Samuel Theis as dead husband Samuel, Milo Machado Graner as the couple's blind adolescent son, Daniel, and Swann Arlaud as Sandra's attorney, Vincent. Anatomy of a Fall was nominated for five Oscars, with Triet and Arthur Harari taking home Best Original Screenplay.
What's it about?
"A man lies dead in the snow below his family's chalet. Did he fall? Did he jump? Or did his wife Sandra (Sandra Hüller) push him? The answer to these questions is far from Anatomy of a Fall's main focus. (Indeed, if you want a clear response, you'll be disappointed.) But there's so much more to this movie — and to Sandra's marriage — than just wanting to know, "Did she do it?" Triet examines Sandra's relationship with her husband through the lens of her trial, taking into account everything from warring egos to infidelity to the pressure of language barriers." — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
Read Mashable's review of Anatomy of a Fall.
How to watch it: Buy or rent on digital
Opens in a new windowCredit: Apple
Opens in a new windowCredit: HuluReleased earlier this month, you can now rent or buy Anatomy of a Fall on digital platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, or Vudu. Rentals give you 30 days to start watching and 48 hours to finish once you start. This film is about two and a half hours long, so if you don't see yourself finishing it within that period, you're better off purchasing it instead. While it won't allow you to watch before the Oscars ceremony on March 10, Anatomy of a Fall also just got an official streaming release date (finally) — you can stream the film on Hulu starting March 22. A basic monthly Hulu plan with ads will run you $7.99 per month after a 30-day free trial. If you wish to cut out the ads, it'll cost you $17.99 per month.
Barbie
What's there to say about Barbie that hasn't been said? Greta Gerwig's summer blockbuster broke box office records, made us all obsessed with the color pink, and essentially became the American monoculture of the moment. For months, we all lived in a Barbie world, so it's no shock the film found its way into the Best Picture category along with seven other nominations. Billie Eilish's existential song "What Was I Made For," won Best Original song; Ryan Gosling's "I'm Just Ken" was also nominated, and the performance was everything.
What's it about?
"In Barbieland, Barbies are doctors, lawyers, construction workers, Pulitzer prize winners, and the president. Every day is perfect, beginning with a great night's sleep and a charming morning routine of costume change and heart-shaped waffle and every night ends with a massive dance party, followed by a 'girls' night'— no Kens allowed. (While Barbies do anything and everything, Kens 'beach.') But all of this seeming perfection begins to unravel when Stereotypical Barbie (Robbie) asks abruptly, mid-choreographed group-dance number, 'Do you guys ever think about dying?'
Soon, her sleep isn't so restful. Her breakfast is burnt. Her perfectly arched feet go flat. She seeks counsel from 'Weird Barbie' (a perfectly cast Kate McKinnon), who tells her that the girl playing with her in the Real World is in crisis, and it's up to Barbie to go there and help her. Ken (Gosling) will come along for the ride, whether Barbie likes it or not." — K.P.
Read Mashable's review of Barbie.
How to watch it: Stream it on Max
Opens in a new windowCredit: MaxBarbie hit streaming on Dec. 15 after its dominating box office run. Since Warner Bros. is the film's distributor, it only makes sense that the film is streaming on Max (which is owned by Warner Bros.). Max plans start at $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year (save 17%).
The Holdovers
Rich storytelling, a powerful cast, and a future Christmas classic, Alexander Payne's The Holdovers was nominated for five Oscars, with Da'Vine Joy Randolph taking home Best Supporting Actress. It stars Paul Giamatti, Randolph, and newcomer Dominic Sessa.
What's it about?
"With the Christmas break fast approaching, the prickly Professor Hunham (Paul Giamatti) is vexed but unsurprised when he's assigned to play babysitter to the holdovers — students not going home to their families over the two-week academic vacation. This cranky crew includes Angus (Dominic Sessa), a 15-year-old with a sharp mind and a self-destructive streak. Cooking for the lot is long-time cafeteria manager Mary (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), who's enduring her first holiday alone since her 19-year-old son (and recent Barton grad) died in the Vietnam War.
Here is a stage well set for culture clash, as well as bursts of emotion and explorations of privilege. A triple-hander, Hemingson's script shifts its focus from Hunham to Angus to Mary and back again, revealing first the facades of intellectual superiority, cockiness, and resilience they put forth to others. But steadily, private moments and forced interactions over an emotionally charged time give way to revelations of tragic backstories, shameful secrets, and, ultimately, vulnerability." — K.P.
Read Mashable's review of The Holdovers.
How to watch: Stream it on Peacock
Opens in a new windowCredit: PeacockReleased nationwide in November, The Holdovers suitably hit streaming around Christmas time. One of the most affordable flicks to stream online, you can watch The Holdovers over on Peacock with a Premium subscription for only $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year. Don't want to deal with ads interrupting your watch party? You'll have to dish out $11.99 per month ($119.99 per year) instead.
Killers of the Flower Moon
While some overly hyped films tend to disappoint, Killers of the Flower Moon is definitely not one of them. It comes as no surprise that Scorsese's compelling and courageous film about America's painful history of corruption and white supremacy would earn a Best Picture nomination. But with 10 nominations, Killers of the Flower Moon shockingly went home without one Oscar.
What's it about?
"Based on David Grann's non-fiction book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, Scorsese's film focuses on the marriage between regal Osage heiress Mollie Burkhart (a riveting Lily Gladstone) and her gold-digging husband Ernest (Leonardo DiCaprio). Their romance is swiftly but solidly established, making for all the horrors that happen around it to be all the more harrowing. Scorsese is frank in the film's violence, but by way of an inventive epilogue that includes a deeply personal touch, he strives to give a clear focus to how this tragedy speaks to America today." — K.P.
Read Mashable's review of Killers of the Flower Moon.
How to watch it: Stream on Apple TV+
Opens in a new windowCredit: AppleAfter a long wait, Killers of the Flower Moon finally graced us with its streaming presence on Apple TV+ earlier this month. Apple TV+ is no longer one of the most affordable streaming services, as its monthly cost jumped from $6.99 to $9.99. However, there are plenty of ways to score a free trial. Try it for seven days through the app itself or for up to three months via Best Buy.
Maestro
Nominated for seven Oscars, the latest masterpiece of Bradley Cooper — who directed, co-wrote, produced, and stars in the film — Maestro is a gorgeous biopic of Leonard Bernstein. It earned more mixed reviews than most on this list of flicks, but the emotional love story, which also stars Carey Mulligan, still managed to get a nod from the Academy.
What's it about?
"Bradley Cooper's sophomore effort is about the life of Leonard Bernstein, the famous New York composer and conductor, who Cooper also plays. While it traces his artistic journey, the film’s main focus is on Bernstein's marriage to Chilean-Costa Rican actress Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan), from their rocky romance to their family life to Bernstein’s affair with several men over the years. Maestro begins, however, with an elderly Bernstein looking back on their time together after Montealegre’s death from cancer, framing the film’s events in the form of memory." — Siddhant Adlakha, Film Critic
Read Mashable's review of Maestro.
How to watch it: Stream it on Netflix
Opens in a new windowCredit: NetflixOriginally premiering at the Venice International Film Festival and hitting select theaters in fall of 2023, the story of Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre began streaming on Netflix late in December. The cheapest Netflix subscription will cost you $6.99 per month, but alas, you'll have to endure some ads along the way. If you don't want to deal with ads, the price jumps up to $15.49 per month instead.
Oppenheimer
Barbie's box office accomplice, Oppenheimer is the latest flick for Best Director winner Christopher Nolan devotees to marvel over — and it actually took home Best Picture at the Oscars this year. Entertainment reporter Belen Edwards called it "part tragedy, part horror movie," that's ultimately unforgettable. It's stacked with a highly impressive cast, including Best Actor winner Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, Best Supporting Actor winner Robert Downey Jr. as shoe salesman turned political powerhouse Lewis Strauss, as well as Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, Benny Safdie, David Krumholtz, and plenty of others.
Oppenheimer took home seven Academy Awards in total with Best Original Score, Best Film Editing, and Best Cinematography rounding out the stash.
What's it about?
"As screenwriter and director, Nolan has adapted Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin's non-fiction book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer into a historical epic that centers on the adult life of the "father of the atomic bomb." Cillian Murphy, who has previously worked with Nolan on The Dark Knight trilogy, Dunkirk, and Inception, stars as Oppenheimer, the Jewish-American theoretical physicist who led the U.S. government's secret Manhattan Project, which developed the first nuclear weapons." — K.P.
Read Mashable's review of Oppenheimer.
How to watch it: Stream it on Peacock
Opens in a new windowCredit: PeacockOppenheimer is officially available to stream on Peacock as of Feb. 16. A Peacock Premium subscription will only run you $5.99 per month and allows you to watch a whole lot more than just Oppenheimer. If you prefer not to sign up for another streaming service, it's also available to rent or purchase on digital platforms like Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV for $5.99 or $19.99, respectively.
Past Lives
Nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, writer/director Celine Song's debut feature has been on our mind's since its theatrical release in June. We were thrilled to learn it lived up to the hype from its Sundance debut. In fact, in the initial review, Film Editor Kristy Puchko dubbed it "one of the very best films of 2023." It stars a radiant Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro.
What's it about?
"Greta Lee, who also appears in such buzzy 2023 gems as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Problemista, stars as Nora, a Korean-American playwright who reconnects with her childhood sweetheart from Seoul (Teo Yoo) over a couple of heady days in New York City. Long walks and long talks scratch at the scab of what could have been, as the two share an exciting chemistry. But life is complicated — specifically, Nora is already married to the rumpled but charming Arthur (John Magaro). So, will these long-lost lovers reignite their would-be romance? Or will they have to wait for another life?" — K.P.
Read Mashable's review of Past Lives.
How to watch it: Stream it on Paramount + with Showtime
Opens in a new windowCredit: Paramount+ / ShowtimePast Lives is the last A24 film to be released on Paramount+ with Showtime. With A24s new deal, future releases will head to Max instead. If you want to stream it, Paramount+ with Showtime is only $11.99 per month after a free seven-day trial. Max without ads, on the other hand, would run you $15.99 and has no free trial. You can also rent or purchase the film through digital retailers like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, or Vudu. It'll cost you $5.99 to rent or $19.99 to purchase. Just remember, with rentals, you have 30 days to start watching and 48 hours to finish once you start.
Poor Things
A Frankenstein-ish masterpiece, Poor Things was one of our most anticipated movies of the year. And thankfully, it didn't disappoint, earning itself an Oscar nod for Best Picture as well as 10 other categories. Poor Things took home four awards including Best Actress for Emma Stone, Best Production Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Costume Design. Plus, for what it's worth, we dubbed it our top film of 2023. Poor Things was written by Tony McNamara, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, and features a lovable cast including Stone, Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef, Jerrod Carmichael, and Christopher Abbott.
What's it about?
"Based on Alasdair Gray's 1992 novel of the same name, Poor Things' resurrected corpse is the beguiling Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), who has a grown woman's body, a child's mind, and a ravenous desire to know the world. This makes her more than a mad scientist/father figure (Willem Dafoe) can handle. So, off she goes on a globe-trekking fling with a devil-may-care — but hot-as-hell — rogue, played by Mark Ruffalo with a winsome gusto." — K.P.
Read Mashable's review of Poor Things.
How to watch it: Stream it on Hulu
Opens in a new windowCredit: HuluPoor Things debuted at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on Sept.1, and was released in U.S. theaters on Dec. 8. Three months later, almost to the day, Poor Things is set to make its streaming debut on Hulu (beginning March 7). Hulu subscriptions start at $7.99 per month with ads or $17.99 per month without ads after a free 30-day trial period. You can also purchase a digital version of the film on retailers like Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Vudu as of Feb. 27.
The Zone of Interest
One of the most unsettling films on the list of nominees, A24'sThe Zone of Interest pairs a "violent soundscape" with "domestic normalcy." Directed by Jonathan Glazer, the chilling flick stars Sandra Hüller (who also stars in Anatomy of a Fall), Christian Friedel, Freya Kreutzkam, Ralph Herforth, Max Beck and Ralf Zillmann. The Zone of Interest was nominated for five Academy Awards and took home the gold for Best International Feature Film and Best Sound.
What's it about?
"Based on Martin Amis's 2014 novel, The Zone of Interest makes you a deeply uncomfortable guest in the well-appointed home of the longest-serving Auschwitz commandant, Rudolf Höss (an impeccable Christian Friedel), his wife Hedwig (an unnerving performance by Anatomy of a Fall star Sandra Hüller), and their children. Just beyond the Höss family's lush garden wall lies Auschwitz itself, where over 1.1 million men, women, and children — about one million of which were Jewish — were murdered." — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor
Read Mashable's review of The Zone of Interest.
How to watch it: Buy it on digital
Opens in a new windowCredit: AppleSimilarly, The Zone of Interest is still in select theaters nationwide and was just released on digital. You can purchase it on digital retailers like Apple TV+, Prime Video, and Vudu for just $19.99. It will be available to rent and stream at a later date.
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Apple Car may never happen, but that doesn't mean the company didn't develop some impressive tech while the project was still alive.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple had developed an incredibly mighty chip to power the Apple Car. In a Q&A session on Monday, Gurman said that the chip was nearly finished, and was "equal to about four M2 Ultras combined."
The M2 Ultra is the chip that's inside the Mac Pro and the most powerful configuration of the Mac Studio. It has, at most, a 24-core CPU, a 76-core GPU, and a 32-core Neural Engine, with support for up to 192GB RAM. Modern cars do require very powerful silicon; for example, the Tesla FSD (Full Self-Driving) chip has 12 ARM CPUs inside and a total of 6 billion transistors. But if Gurman's info is correct, Apple's chip probably would have dwarfed that, as a single M2 Ultra chip has 134 billion transistors.
Apple was rumored to be building an autonomous car for a decade, spending billions, before reportedly killing off the project and focusing on Apple CarPlay instead.
Gurman also shared a few other tidbits related to Apple's now-abandoned Apple Car project, as well as the company's ongoing CarPlay efforts. For example, he doesn't think that Apple will sell or license the tech developed for the Apple Car project, though "there’s a good chunk of material that could be reused for the company’s own future products."
As for CarPlay, Gurman thinks Apple is "all-in on the new CarPlay," which runs through the iPhone, but going forward, he thinks that "Apple really should embed its own software and hardware into cars themselves," something that Google has already done with Android Automotive.
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Quick links for watching 'Invincible' Season 2 on Amazon Prime Video:
BEST FOR NEW USERSAmazon Prime trialfree for 30 days, then $14.99 per month
BEST FOR STUDENTSAmazon Prime Student6-month free trial, then $69 per year
BEST FOR EVERYONE ELSEAmazon Prime Video$8.99 per month
It's been a long time coming, but the second half of Invincible Season 2 has finally arrived.
After the brilliantly bloody first season, fans eagerly awaited another installment of the animated adaptation of Robert Kirkman's comics. In November, the first four episodes of Season 2 (Part 1) were released, leaving fans hanging for the last four until further notice. Well, here's your notice: Season 2, Part 2 starts streaming on March 14.
Season 2 picks up with rookie superhero Mark Grayson (aka Invincible) reeling in the wake of his father Nolan's (aka Omni-Man's) betrayal. Mark focuses on rebuilding his life — and finishing high school — in the face of more training, new threats, and inevitably, more bloodshed. Considering the comic spanned from January 2003 to February 2018 with nearly 150 issues, there's plenty of source material to draw from for Season 2 and beyond.
Judging by the trailer, the second half of the season promises plenty more carnage. Here's a glimpse:
When is Invincible Season 2 coming out?
Invincible seasons 2 and 3 were greenlit back in April 2021, but delays largely due to COVID shutdowns caused a bit of a struggle in getting the next installments out to fans. Nearly three years after the first season debuted, Season 2, Part 1 dropped last year. The final four episodes promised to arrive in early 2024, and that exact date has finally been announced. Audiences can tune into Invincible Season 2, Part 2 starting on Thursday, March 14. New episodes drop weekly until the finale on April 4.
What streaming service is Invincible on?
Sorry, Netflix users. Invincible is a Prime Video original series, thus it can only be watched on Amazon's streaming service. If you're already an Amazon Prime subscriber, you're good to go — just sign into your account, navigate to Prime Video and the first episode of Season 2, Part 2 will be waiting for you starting March 14. If not, we've got you covered with the best ways to save money on a subscription.
Can I get Amazon Prime Video for free?
The million-dollar question we all want the answer to: how can you watch Invincible Season 2 for free? I'm happy to tell you that there is a way. But unfortunately, you can only take advantage of it if you haven't been a Prime user in over a year (or ever). Otherwise, you can score a discounted subscription if you're a student (or still have access to a .edu email address) or simply subscribe to Prime Video only (not a full Prime subscription) to save some money. We've unraveled all the details for you below.
Best for newbies: Amazon Prime free trial
Opens in a new windowCredit: AmazonIn a time where free trials are disappearing left and right, it's refreshing to know that Amazon still offers a 30-day trial of its Prime membership to new and returning users. If you've never subscribed to Prime in the past or you canceled or paused your membership over a year ago, you can take advantage of the free month of service. You'll get all of the Prime perks a paid member gets for those 30 days — including access to Prime Video to watch Invincible seasons 1 and 2 — despite not paying a cent. Just be sure to cancel your trial before the 30 days are up if you want to avoid charges.
Best for students: Amazon Prime Student
Opens in a new windowCredit: AmazonStudents with an active .edu email address can score the mother of all deals on Prime by subscribing to an Amazon Prime Student account. You'll get your first six months completely free, which gives you access to not only Prime Video, but also plenty of other goodies like free food delivery through GrubHub+, a free three-month trial of Calm, discounted Amazon Music and Kindle subscriptions, as well as the usual Prime perks. After your six free months, it'll only cost you $69/year (reg. $139/year) — that's 50% in savings — so long as you keep your student status. Cancel any time. The best part about the six-month trial is that you'll be able to watch parts 1 and 2 of Invincible Season 2 for free.
Best for everyone else: Prime Video only
Opens in a new windowCredit: AmazonWhat most people probably don't realize is that you can subscribe to Prime Video without subscribing to Amazon Prime. For those who aren't eligible for the free trial, this is your best bet for saving some money and watching Invincible Season 2. Rather than paying $14.99/month for Prime, you can sign up for a month of Prime Video only for just $8.99. That saves you $6 per month, which definitely adds up. Plus, you can cancel at any time with no commitment. This won't necessarily save you money, but it'll keep you from wasting it once the season is over.
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NASA has proposed sci-fi plans to potentially shut down a supervolcano — should one show signs of an imminent eruption.
But such a geologic scheme might not ever be necessary. In new research from NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies and Columbia University, scientists found that the most powerful scale of eruption — which emits a mind-boggling amount of material into the atmosphere — would probably not plunge Earth into a deep, cold volcanic winter.
Indeed, the prodigious gasses and ash blasted into the sky by a "super-eruption," which erupts over 240 cubic miles (1,000 cubic kilometers) of magma, would inevitably block some sunlight and have a cooling impact. It just likely wouldn't be devastating to life globally, according to this latest research.
"The relatively modest temperature changes we found most compatible with the evidence could explain why no single super-eruption has produced firm evidence of global-scale catastrophe for humans or ecosystems," Zachary McGraw, the study's lead author and a researcher at NASA GISS and Columbia University, said in a statement. The research was recently published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Climate.
For reference, the infamous 1980 U.S. eruption of Mount St. Helens — which was so potent that it completely blacked out sunlight in Spokane, Washington, located 250 miles away — released 0.67 cubic miles of volcanic rock. While impressive, that's a pittance compared to a super-eruption.
Of course, it's (thankfully) impossible for earth scientists to analyze a recent super-eruption. They are rare. The last such event happened over 22,000 years ago at Taupo in modern-day New Zealand. Yellowstone, in the U.S., is widely known for its super-eruption abilities, too: Some Yellowstone eruptions over the past few million years created layers of volcanic lava rock over 1,300 feet (400 meters) thick.
How a volcano super-eruption will impact Earth
Lacking direct observation of such a blast, scientists use computers to simulate how the mega-event would impact our planet. The key ingredient in prolonged volcanic cooling isn't ash, which is actually tiny fragments of volcanic rock: It's sulfur dioxide gas from volcanoes that condenses into liquid sulfate particles. Once high in the sky in Earth's stratosphere (some six to 30 miles up), sulfur dioxide reacts with atmospheric molecules to produce droplets that can linger for a year or more. And when sunlight hits these droplets, energy is reflected back into space, depriving our planet of substantial amounts of sunlight.
NASA's research simulated how this gas, ejected into the stratosphere during a super-eruption, would impact temperatures on Earth's surface.
A visualization showing the scale of different eruptions. The orange circles show super-eruptions; the Mount St. Helens eruption is a small green circle on the left. Credit: USGS
The two expansive regions within the dotted lines show where ash beds formed from two super-eruptions from the Yellowstone Plateau region over the past few million years. Credit: USGSDramatic cooling could devastate crops, plant life, and many ecosystems. Yet the simulations showed that although some cooling would occur, it wouldn't stoke temperature changes much more than the largest eruptions in modern history.
"Generally, you always think about volcanoes cooling. But this study says there's a limit to that," Valentina Aquila, an atmospheric scientist at American University who researches the impacts of volcanism, told Mashable. Aquila had no role in the new super-eruption research.
There's a limit to the cooling because a super-eruption will blast an enormous volume of particles into the atmosphere. But once there, they amass together. Crucially, the larger particles are less efficient at reflecting sunlight compared to smaller particles — because there's less surface area for sunlight to reflect off of, Aquila explained. What's more, the larger droplets fall more quickly from the sky.
But that's not all. The sulfur particles also trap heat radiating off Earth — similar to the greenhouse gasses currently driving climate change. So while some solar radiation is being blocked, radiation emanating from our planet is also being absorbed, which causes a temporary warming effect.
"You get these two counteracting effects," McGraw told Mashable.
In 1991, the dramatic Mount Pinatubo eruption (not nearly a super-eruption) ejected some 15 million tons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, driving global temperatures down by around half a degree Fahrenheit (some 0.3 degrees Celsius) for two years. This research suggests that an eruption hundreds of times bigger may temporarily cause some 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) of cooling.
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Of course, the impacts of a super-eruption would still be devastating regionally. "A super-eruption would cause massive problems near the eruption site," McGraw said.
Around Yellowstone, parts of Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho would get pummeled with extremely hot flows of rock, ash, and gas, called pyroclastic flows, the U.S Geologic survey explained. Mass evacuations would be needed to avoid massive casualties. Closer to the eruption, day would turn to night. Ashfall would spread over a huge swathe of the U.S.
"A super-eruption would cause massive problems near the eruption site."
But humanity would not be imperiled.
"We can be confident of this because there have been two massive explosions while humans were present on Earth, and both of these were actually larger than Yellowstone's most recent cataclysmic eruption," the Geologic Survey said. "These eruptions were from Toba, Indonesia, about 74,000 years ago and from Taupo, New Zealand, about 26,500 years ago."
Volcanologists don't see any imminent super-eruptions on the horizon. But, thankfully, the volcanoes will show signs well before the event. We'll have plenty of warning.
This story has been updated with more information about super-eruptions.
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TL;DR: Through March 17, this refurbished Lenovo ThinkCentre Tiny Core desktop has 256GB SSD and is just $189.99 (reg. $349).
Of course, we know how convenient portable computers can be. But, sometimes, a powerful desktop setup is really what you need.
If you need to outfit your home office with a setup to keep up with your daily grind and evening gaming sessions, a refurbished desktop could save you some money while providing the services you need. This refurbished Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny Core desktop is on sale for $189.99 and has excellent specs that might fit the bill.
While it may be a refurbished 2015 model, it comes with a grade "A" refurbished rating. This means that it should arrive to you in near-mint condition with minimal, if any, cosmetic marks.
With 16GB RAM and a powerful 2.2GHz Intel Core i5-6400T processor, you'll be able to multitask with ease. And the 256GB SSD allows you to store a lot locally without having to rely on the cloud or a separate external drive.
This tiny desktop doesn't take up much room, so it could be an asset if you have a small space. It comes with Windows 10 Pro, which can easily integrate with other Microsoft software. It also includes a keyboard, mouse, Wi-Fi dongle, and AC adapter.
This refurbished Lenovo ThinkCentre Tiny Core desktop has 256GB SSD and is just $189.99 (reg. $349) for a limited time.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new windowCredit: LenovoLenovo ThinkCentre M900 Core i5-6500T, 16GB RAM 256GB SSD - Black (Refurbished)$189.99 at the Mashable Shop
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TL;DR: Through March 17, save hundreds on OneAir Elite Plan and get it for just $79.97 — the best price online. Discover savings on fights, hotels, rental cars, and more.
With spring just a few days away, it’s already time to start booking your summer travel plans. However, with a recent Squaremouth report sharing record levels of travel spending, you might run into some wallet-related hassles. If you want to get more bang for your travel bucks, you might want to try OneAir.
It’s an AI-powered travel app that helps you find better prices on airfare, hotels, activities, and more. You can even start with the lowest-on-web price for a lifetime subscription right here, just $79.97 (reg. $790) through March 17.
Unlock a lifetime of travel savings with OneAir
OneAir thinks you could save up to 40%-90% on flights from your home airports, and getting started is super simple. Just add up to ten departing locations and any specific destinations you want to visit, and OneAir’s AI engine will scan and track millions of fares in real-time to alert you with some of the greatest deals on economy, premium, business, and first-class flights.
Unlike other travel deal finders, OneAir allows you to book flights right on the iOS, Android, or web app without being redirected to other sites. Plus, every listed price you see is all-inclusive with no additional costs or fees.
Your new one-stop shop for vacation planning
After finding a discounted flight, you can use OneAir to explore deals on hotels and resorts, rental cars, and activities. You could find up to 60% off a place to stay and get a wholesale price on seeing the sights, visiting theme parks, or dining around town.
OneAir also provides 24/7 support for any stage of planning your trip. Unlike the AI-powered deal finder, the support is from real people.
Book your summer travel plans for less with a OneAir Elite Plan lifetime subscription for $79.97 (reg. $790) until March 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon is needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new windowCredit: OneAirOneAir Elite Plan: Lifetime Subscription (Save Big on Flights, Hotels & More)$79.97 at the Mashable Shop
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TL;DR: Through March 17, get this Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro bundle for $79.97 and save 80%.
We are all looking for ways to streamline our lives. If you need to upgrade your computer, All-in-One Microsoft Office Pro 2021 lifetime license for Windows and Windows 11 Pro Bundle is on sale for $79.97, which is hundreds less than the combined regular prices.
This bundle can give lagging computers a shining new upgrade. Windows 11 Pro and Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2021 were made to work together seamlessly, which means the flow should be optimal. Office doesn't come with recurring fees or monthly payments like Microsoft 365 does. You pay once, and you don't have to pay again.
The Windows 11 Pro is the latest OS from Windows, with a bunch of updates. It has updated security enhancements like BitLocker encryption, Microsoft Information Protection integration, biometrics login, and more. There have also been updates to Windows Studio Effects, as well as touchscreen capabilities. You also get updates going forward.
Microsoft Office Professional Plus for Windows is a lifetime license for one PC with instant delivery and download. It allows you to utilize Microsoft's most popular apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and more.
Transform the way you work, create, and collaborate with this powerful combination of essential productivity tools and the latest operating system.
Grab the Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for Windows and Windows 11 Pro bundle for a one-time payment of $79.97 when you order by March 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new windowCredit: MicrosoftThe All-in-One Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle$79.97 at the Mashable Shop
$418.99 Save $339.02 -
TL;DR: As of March 12, you can level up your IT knowledge with this CompTIA cybersecurity course bundle on sale for $39.99 (reg. $156) for a limited time.
It's not a secret that we do almost everything online these days. From paying bills to applying for jobs, work, homework, and more, our lives are decidedly digital. So it only makes sense that protecting online efforts is a booming field.
According to Fordham News, there are more jobs available in the field of cybersecurity than there are people to fill them. That means if you're looking to make the move into the profession, it's a good time to get in. If you are looking for a low-commitment way to begin that journey, the 2024 CompTIA Cybersecurity Certification Training Bundle is on sale for just $39.99 (reg. $156) for a limited time.
With four courses that aim to get you ready to take and pass the CompTIA exams, you'll have over 88 hours of instructional content at your fingertips to dig into as your schedule allows.
For instance, the CompTIA CySA+ course gets you ready for the exam through instruction that shows you how to scrutinize and react to anomalies in networks, use automation, safeguard software, and hunt for threats, among other real-world actions. Other courses get you ready for the PenTest+, CASP+, and Security+ CompTIA exams.
Take the first steps to further your career in IT with this comprehensive bundle.
Get the 2024 CompTIA Cybersecurity Certification Training Bundle while it's on sale for $39.99 (reg. $156) for a limited time.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new windowCredit: IdunovaThe Complete 2024 CompTIA Cyber Security Certification Training Bundle$39.99 at the Mashable Shop
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Yeah, I said it. The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is the MacBook Pro of gaming laptops. But the difference is that the battery life is much worse (as one would expect from any gaming laptop).
And, throwing some playful shade to MacBooks, you can actually game to your heart's desire on it with your favorite envelope-pushing triple-A titles. Plus, the ROG Zephyrus G14 is surprisingly light. When I first picked it up, I was expecting a lot of heft — only to be met a shocking featherweight design.
However, thin-and-light gaming laptops face one major hurdle: heat. Although the ROG Zephyrus G14 struggles to overcome this, it delivers a decent gaming experience at a practical price point.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 price
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is $1,599 via Best Buy. This is the cheapest configuration you can get (the same configuration I tested for this review) — and it comes with the following specs:
AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS CPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU
16GB of RAM
1TB of SSD storage
120Hz, 14-inch display with 2560 x 1440-pixel resolution
Windows 11 Home
If you want more RAM and better graphics — 32GB of memory and a 4070 GPU, to be exact — you can upgrade to the $1,999 model.
Opens in a new windowCredit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableWhat I like about Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
The ROG Zephyrus G14 is perfect for those who want to bring a respectable, MacBook Pro-esque laptop to the office — before gaming at night with a beastly gaming rig.
MacBook-like design
From the dual speaker grilles flanking the keyboard to the "Platinum White" chassis, it's no wonder the ROG Zephyrus G14 is the MacBook Pro of gaming laptops.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableThe ROG Zephyrus G14 is wrapped in a sturdy, solid CNC aluminum unibody chassis along with a silvery hue and rounded corners that is quite MacBook-esque.
Hell, it even weighs as much as a MacBook Pro, too. For example, the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro weighs 3.4 pounds, which is only slightly heavier than the 3.3-pound ROG Zephyrus G14.
Adding more credence to my MacBook Pro-esque claim, the ROG Zephyrus G14 is 0.62 inches thick; the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro is 0.61 inches thick.
However, what differentiates the ROG Zephyrus G14 from the MacBook world is the giant slash design on the lid that has programmable LED lighting (you can play with it via the pre-installed Armoury Crate app).
Nice variety of ports
One thing that's not very MacBook, in a good way, is the ROG Zephyrus G14's wide variety of ports. On the left side, you'll find a USB4 port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a headset jack.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableOn the right side, you'll find a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, another USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, and a microSD card slot (a nod to you creators out there).
No, there isn't a Thunderbolt 4 port on this laptop. (This is an AMD-based laptop, so due to licensing hindrances regarding Intel, USB4 is the best you'll get.)
Decent OLED display
I watched the Deadpool & Wolverine trailer on YouTube to test the ROG Zephyrus G14's 14-inch, 3K (2560 x 1440-pixel resolution) display. The picture was crisp, almost too crisp, as I watched Ryan Reynold's character prance around the screen with reptilian-like pockmarks and scaly, unsightly skin.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableThe colors are and textures are rich, too, showing off Deadpool's forest-green jacket and the vivid Hawaiian shirt, filled with tropical designs on it, underneath it. While playing Cyberpunk 2077, I marveled at the sheen that emanated from robo-secretary with a gold-plated face.
However, as you'll find in the "What I Don't Like" section, the screen does have a notable flaw.
Awesome keyboard layout
Have you ever experienced a moment in which you're quickly trying to find the mute button, but as it's sandwiched between a row of other keys, you find yourself scrambling to press it?
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableThe ROG Zephyrus G14 rectifies this issue by isolating the mute button, the volume up/down keys, and the pre-installed Armoury Crate app (for quick assess to gaming settings), placing the four keys above the function row.
In the words of Agnes from Despicable Me, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14's keyboard is so clicky I'm going to die! These aren't keys. These are mini trampolines built for my fingers, allowing them to jump from symbol to symbol with graceful ease.
Yes, this gaming laptop features RGB backlighting, but keep in mind that it's not per-key RGB backlighting. In other words, if you change the RGB backlighting (which you can do via the pre-installed Armoury Crate app), it will affect the whole keyboard. You can't make per-key adjustments.
Surprisingly good audio
The ROG Zephyrus G14's will never come close to the honeyed sound of a MacBook Pro, but it's not half bad.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableI fired up Benson Boone's "Beautiful Things" on Spotify. His gritty, moody voice sounded crisp, full, and well-rounded on the G14's stereo speaker system, which features a double-tweeter and dual-subwoofer setup. It's sufficiently loud, too, at max volume.
Gaming laptops typically have so-so audio. After all, most gamers grab one of the best gaming headsets to pair with their gaming laptops. However, Asus doesn't make that assumption with its consumers, which is a breath of fresh air.
Impressive performance
We tested the ROG Zephyrus G14 with the Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark and it blew past 100 frames with ease. See our performance section to see how well it handled one of the most graphics-intensive PC games.
What's 'eh' about the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
There's no way around it. The internals inside a gaming laptop are quite powerful, which produces a lot of heat.
An excellent thigh warmer
One way to circumvent heat issues is to find a way to exhaust hot air away from commonly touched areas.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableHowever, while running Cyberpunk 2077, it seems like most of the heat escapes from the ROG Zephyrus' G14 underside. This can be an issue if you want to use it on your lap. However, if you plan on placing the Asus gaming laptop on a desk or table, you should be fine.
On the plus side, the ROG Zephyrus G14 will make for an excellent source of heat during the thick of winter; it can double as a thigh warmer for sure.
Battery life is OK
Yes, I know that battery life on a gaming laptop isn't all that great. However, compared to the other gaming laptops I've tested, the ROG Zephyrus G14 isn't the worst, but it's definitely not the best either.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableWhile it beats the gaming laptops that couldn't last more than an hour, the Asus gaming rig struggled to catch up with more power-efficient rivals. Check out the battery life section for our results.
What I dislike about the ROG Zephyrus G14
As someone who travels a lot and often sits next to bright windows, one of my biggest pet peeves is a dim screen. I wouldn't say the ROG Zephyrus G14 is "dim," but it could stand to be brighter.
Display could be brighter
Asus claims that the ROG Zephyrus G14 has 500-nit display, which should be sufficient, but it looks slightly dimmer than expected.
Credit: Asus ROG Zephyrus G14While navigating darker scenes in Cyberpunk 2077 or moody Netflix shows, I found myself reaching for the brightness button — only to find that I've already reached max brightness.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 battery life
We tested the ROG Zephyrus G14's battery life with PCMark 10's gaming battery life test. It lasted 1 hour and 17 minutes. Compare this to the HP Victus, for example, which survived for 1 hour and 56 minutes, nearly two hours.
For what it's worth, the HP Victus we tested has the same GPU as the ROG Zephyrus G14 (i.e., Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU).
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 Geekbench 6 and other performance scores
Packed with an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS chip and an Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, here are the numbers we got from running Cyberpunk 2077 (High preset, 1080p).
102 frames per second
Compare this to the HP Victus, which has an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. With the same settings, it delivered 95 frames per second.
On the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, we ran Geekbench 6, which tests for processor prowess. It delivered a multi-core score of 12,170.
For reference, this beats the M3 chip inside the 14-inch MacBook Pro, which delivered a score of 11,998 on the same benchmark.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 webcam
Webcams on most general-purpose laptops stink, but on gaming laptops, they're even worse. The ROG Zephyrus G14 is no exception. Equipped with 1080p webcam, the shooter looks hazy, unclear, and muddy.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 webcam sample Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableOn the plus side, it's an IR camera, which means it supports face unlock for Windows Hello logins.
Is the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 worth it?
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is worth it if you want a sleek, thin-and-light gaming laptop that can be disguised as a laptop for work by day — while unleashing its true, beastly powers by night for triple-A gaming.
However, it's worth noting that its rival, the HP Victus, is currently less than $1,000. It packs the same Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU and plays Cyberpunk 2077 at an average of 95 frames per second, which is only slightly behind the ROG Zephyrus G14's 102 frames-per-second score.
Still, the ROG Zephyrus G14 undeniably has the better chassis, with a MacBook Pro-esque, premium design. Its $1,599 price tag gets you an uptick in performance, a slim, featherweight design, top-notch speakers, and an awesome keyboard. What's not to love?
Opens in a new windowCredit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable -
The Cleveland singer, guitarist, and songwriter was behind power-pop hits like “Hungry Eyes” and “Go All the Way”
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The guitarists release their collaborative All Gist in April via Paradise of Bachelors
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“The need for a ceasefire is beyond urgent,” the musician wrote in a note to accompany I Won’t Let Go of Your Hand. “Permanent Ceasefire Now!”
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Early 2023, Brazil’s National Film Agency (Ancine) and local telecoms regulator Anatel (National Telecommunications Agency) announced a new anti-piracy partnership.
In isolation that was nothing out of the ordinary but just a couple of months earlier, ANCINE had announced a “reformulation” of its anti-piracy work. Specifically, it would “move away” from combating the distribution of pirate set-top boxes and similar work aimed at protecting the movie and TV sector.
“The understanding is that there would be an overlap in responsibilities with the National Telecommunications Agency (ANATEL),” ANCINE explained, adding that it would be combating copyright violations of Brazilian works on digital platforms instead.
Despite overlapping responsibilities, ANCINE still took part in the March 2023 wave of Operation 404. The agency’s logo did not appear alongside those of the MPA and ACE on the banners celebrating the next wave a few months later, however.
Concerns Over Comments in Brazil
In its submission to the USTR’s 2024 Special 301 Review, the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA), which counts the MPA among its members, raised concerns over the situation in Brazil. Following the public hearing last month, the USTR asked IIPA to provide additional detail on why “recent positions vocalized by the Ministry of Culture and ANCINE officials concerning the protection of copyright” were seen as an issue.
ANCINE’s focus on the protection of domestic content is a problem, IIPA informed the USTR.
“This statement is troubling because it implies that ANCINE prioritizes the protection of domestic works and will not take actions to ensure the adequate and effective protection of works owned by U.S. rights holders, raising questions regarding Brazil’s international obligations,” the response notes, briefly, with almost no context.
To summarize IIPA’s submission, Brazil received praise for taking down 868 websites and applications, for taking action in eight states against live sports piracy, for deploying site-blocking injunctions, and for carrying out search and seizure raids and arresting pirates.
Ultimately, however, “several long-standing normative and legislative concerns warrant keeping Brazil on the Watch List,” the IIPA wrote.
So did Brazil suddenly become uncooperative overnight for no reason? Not exactly; in fact, deeper cooperation with the MPA played a significant role in the decision to prioritize local content protection.
ANCINE’s Special Agreement With the MPA
In April 2021, ANCINE announced it had signed “technical cooperation agreements to intensify the fight against piracy of audiovisual content.” This involved gaining access to automated systems to help it fight piracy more effectively.
One of those agreements (pdf) would apparently cement a partnership between ANCINE and the Motion Picture Association Latin America (MPA-AL), which represents Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Sony, Universal, and Warner Bros. in the region.
At the time, ANCINE was clear that the deal meant it would gain access to automated systems that would allow it to “monitor irregularities” related to online advertising in connection with piracy-related products. There was never any real mystery about what it hoped to achieve.
Civil Servants Demand Access to Agreement
When reading a grand press release, people may reasonably conclude that grand moves are underway. They may even start to suspect that even bigger things are going on.
Beginning around September 2022, more than a year after the ANCINE announcement, ASPAC (Associação dos Servidores Públicos da ANCINE) an association of civil servants connected to ANCINE, sent questions to the cinema regulator seeking information concerning its agreement with the MPA. ASPAC also filed an access to information request through which it hoped to obtain “copies of all documents involving the MPA and the use of the Ether platform.”
Among other details, ASPAC expressed deep concern that the deal with the MPA prioritized the protection of foreign movies over those created in Brazil.
EtherCity Anti-Piracy Services
EtherCity is an entity that “provides services, advanced automation solutions, and business intelligence for brand protection and anti-piracy operations.” Founded in 2018, EtherCity claims to be based in São Paulo, Brazil, and currently lists the MPA, ACE (Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment) and ANCINE as clients. Ether appears to be one of its anti-piracy platforms.
EtherCity’s website reveals a client list that goes way beyond the world’s most powerful movie studio association and the world’s most powerful anti-piracy coalition. Both ANCINE and Brazil telecoms regulator ANATEL are listed as clients alongside the likes of Prime Video, Discovery Plus, Netflix, Sky, Paramount Plus, HBO Max, Hulu, Roku, Warner, ESPN, Fox, and the list goes on.
EtherCity data has been cited in ACE reports (pdf) and EtherCity reports on ACE anti-piracy action have concluded how effective that’s been against LATAM-focused pirate sites.
The São Paulo operation is also mentioned in annual reports published by the local CNPC anti-piracy program in Brazil. EtherCity has been involved in efforts (pdf) to delist pirate TV box ads from Google and Meta platforms, and mentioned in respect of proposed subsidies for reverse engineering pirate set-top boxes in 2021.
ASPAC Opposes ANCINE/MPA Deal
ASPAC made several allegations concerning the ANCINE/MPA deal, including that the software in use at EtherCity was developed by the MPA. Furthermore, ASPAC claimed that since the software was designed to protect the interests of MPA members, ANCINE’s use of the software meant that Brazil’s cinema regulator was working in defense of Hollywood and against its rivals’ products.
Crucially, that included Brazilian films that receive no MPA protection, ASPAC claimed.
ASPAC further alleged that the deal should’ve been published in the Diário Oficial da União, the official journal of the federal government of Brazil. Instead, it had to resort to a freedom of information request to find out what had been agreed.
The letter was signed by ASPAC’s president; it called for a public consultation and an investigation into who was responsible for a deal that “does not comply with the minimum legal requirements and ends up distorting the very purpose of public policy.”
MPA: We Don’t Interfere, Anti-Piracy Work is Normal
In a statement to local publication Metropoles, Andressa Pappas, Director of Government Relations at the Motion Picture Association, said that support for copyright everywhere is effectively what the MPA is best known for.
“Supporting content protection and anti-piracy measures has always been one of MPA’s global key actions. As trusted advisors to authorities around the world, the MPA provides several tools, such as technical expertise and research, as it aims to defend a better scenario for audiovisual and copyright, including in Brazil,” Pappas said.
The MPA further added that it “does not interfere and has no impact on decisions taken within the scope of public administration” since it “respects the autonomy of public bodies and entities in Brazil.”
No Serious Issues Found, Damage Already Done
It was later revealed that ANCINE’s access to the Ether system would allow it to identify problematic ads related to set-top boxes and instances of copyright infringement on websites. The agreement allowed ANCINE to use that data for enforcement purposes, including against infringers directly and in support of site-blocking measures. ANCINE could use the system or not, there were no strict requirements. Some issues did remain, however.
The agreement was considered confidential and that ran counter to a requirement for transparency. Criticism from ASPAC held that by using a platform provided by the MPA and designed to protect its own content, ANCINE had effectively delegated its supervisory powers to the MPA.
That subsequently led to ANCINE announcing the previously-mentioned “reformulation” of its anti-piracy work and its move away from targeting pirate set-top boxes. ANCINE’s Anti-Piracy Coordinator, Eduardo Luiz Perfeito Carneiro, was dismissed, and his replacement was given a new title to reflect the new image and direction of ANCINE.
Carlos Chelfo, Copyright Protection Coordinator at ANCINE, was instructed to review work with the MPA to ensure that, moving forward, the protection of Brazilian content would always take priority. The deal itself was terminated.
And that’s why Brazil is causing such concern for the IIPA in the United States, and what prompted its comment to the USTR:
“This statement is troubling because it implies that ANCINE prioritizes the protection of domestic works and will not take actions to ensure the adequate and effective protection of works owned by U.S. rights holders, raising questions regarding Brazil’s international obligations.” IIPA to USTR – 2024 Special 301 Review
In isolation, it might sound that Brazil suddenly became uncooperative for no reason. With context, it simply shows both countries putting their own interests first. How the that will be viewed at the USTR and reflected in the Special 301 Report will be revealed in just a few weeks.
From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.
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The grindcore band issued a statement commemorating Harrison, who played samples, noise, and other sound design: “You are etched into the bedrock of our lives”
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The boundary-pushing singer’s debut book “celebrates female empowerment and shines a light on the global music scene,” says publisher Scribner
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Starting last year, various rightsholders have filed lawsuits against companies that develop AI models.
The list of complainants includes record labels, book authors, visual artists, even the New York Times. These rightsholders all object to the presumed use of their work without proper compensation.
“Books3”
Many of the lawsuits filed by book authors come with a clear piracy angle. The cases allege that tech companies, including Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI, used the controversial ‘Books3’ dataset to train their models.
Books3 was created by AI researcher Shawn Presser in 2020, who scraped the library of ‘pirate’ site Bibliotik. The dataset was broadly shared online and added to other databases including ‘The Pile‘, an AI training dataset compiled by EleutherAI.
After pushback from rightsholders and anti-piracy outfits, Books3 was taken offline over copyright concerns. However, for many of the companies that allegedly trained their AI models on it, there are still some legal repercussions to sort out.
Authors Sue NVIDIA for Copyright Infringement
On Friday, American authors Abdi Nazemian, Brian Keene, and Stewart O’Nan joined the barrage of legal action with a copyright infringement lawsuit against NVIDIA. The company, whose market cap exceeds $2 trillion, is mostly known for its GPUs and related software and services, but also has its own AI models.
In a concise class action complaint, filed at a California federal court, the authors allege that NVIDIA used the Books3 dataset to train its NeMo Megatron language models. The models are hosted on Hugging Face where it states that they are trained on EleutherAI’s ‘The Pile’ dataset, which includes the pirated books.
Putting two and two together, the plaintiffs conclude that NVIDIA’s models were trained on pirated books, including theirs, without their permission.
“NVIDIA has admitted training its NeMo Megatron models on a copy of The Pile dataset. Therefore, NVIDIA necessarily also trained its NeMo Megatron models on a copy of Books3, because Books3 is part of The Pile,” the complaint reads.
“Certain books written by Plaintiffs are part of Books3 — including the Infringed Works — and thus NVIDIA necessarily trained its NeMo Megatron models on one or more copies of the Infringed Works, thereby directly infringing the copyrights of the Plaintiffs.”
Direct Infringement Damages
Relying on the same logic, the authors accuse the company of direct copyright infringement, noting that NVIDIA copied their books to use them for AI training purposes. Through the lawsuit, the rightsholders demand compensation in the form of actual or statutory damages.
The class action lawsuit includes three authors thus far, but more may be added to the case as it progresses. NVIDIA has yet to respond to the allegations but in light of similar cases, it will likely oppose the claims and/or argue a fair-use defense.
Last month, OpenAI managed to ‘defeat’ several copyright infringement claims from book authors in a somewhat related “Books3” lawsuit. However, the California federal court didn’t review the direct copyright infringement claims in this case, which have yet to be argued in detail at a later stage.
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A copy of the class action complaint against NVIDIA, filed by the authors in a California federal court, is available here (pdf)
From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.
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When pirated copies of “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” came out nearly two decades ago, The Pirate Bay changed its front page logo.
The Pirate Bay became the “Grand Theft Bay,” illustrating the deviant stance upon which the site built its reputation since the year of its launch.
The GTA-inspired logo was the first of many ‘doodles’ that separated the ‘most resilient torrent site’ from its competition. Instead of hiding from law enforcement or big media’s anti-piracy groups, The Pirate Bay often went on the offensive, facing all challenges head-on.
Many believed it was revolutionary, while others thought it was naive. What’s clear, however, is that The Pirate Bay fulfilled an unmet source of demand.
Pirating Pioneers
At the time, it was nearly impossible for people to consume media online. Music streaming services simply didn’t exist yet, games were sold wrapped in plastic, and Netflix had yet to start its streaming business. Meanwhile, everything was available on The Pirate Bay, for free.
Times have changed but even the most staunch pro-copyright advocates can’t deny that piracy helped to lead the entertainment industries to new business models. Without the Napsters, Limewires and Pirate Bays of the time, media consumption wouldn’t have evolved so swiftly.
There is no award for this accomplishment, however. On the contrary, the public faces of The Pirate Bay’s founding crew all served prison sentences. Hollywood never managed to bring the site completely to its knees, but did make its founding fathers pay with life’s most precious asset: TIME.
Intriguingly, The Pirate Bay story itself now serves as inspiration for a TV production. B-Reel Films started working on a Pirate Bay TV series for Sweden’s public broadcaster SVT a few years ago
Peter Sunde (Simon Gregor Carlsson), Gottfrid Svartholm Warg (Arwid Swedrup) and
Fredrik Neij (Wiljam Lempling). photo: Stina Stjernkvist/SVTNone of the Pirate Bay founders are closely involved in the TV project, and they’re certainly not being compensated either. Instead, the producers used interviews with other people involved, plus the vast amount of public information available on the Internet.
Filming Finished
The new Pirate Bay series is scheduled to be released on Swedish television later this year. It has just finished filming and the first images, as well as the leading characters, were recently revealed to the public.
The production took place in Stockholm, Sweden, but also ventured to other countries including Chile and Thailand, where Fredrik Neij was arrested and paraded in front of the press in 2014.
Time will tell how the producers and director have decided to tell this story; there are many rabbit holes to pursue after all. Director Jens Sjögren describes it as a thriller, albeit one with humor.
“The Pirate Bay is a character-driven thriller told with great heart, warmth, nerve, will, and humor that takes us from a basement in the suburbs to fancy offices in Hollywood. A story about how a spark in a student corridor takes off and risks setting fire to the entire establishment far away in Hollywood,” Sjögren says.
Global Release Uncertain
With millions of former and current users of the torrent site, there will likely be some interest in the series from an international audience too. Thus far, no deals have been announced and, at this point, it’s uncertain if the series will be available outside of Sweden this fall.
Dynamic Television has acquired the global distribution rights to the series. Speaking with TorrentFreak, publicist Marylou Johnston says that the series is now going post-production so it is “way too early” to report any international sales.
“International sales will start when we can show the series to potential buyers. I doubt we will have a global release but it could happen,” Johnston notes.
Needless to say, selling a TV series to Hollywood, one that documents the history of its arch-enemy, is an intriguing proposition. While film insiders are smart enough to recognize potential when they see it, there’s a certain barrier to overcome.
You Can’t Stop Pirates?
Ironically, if The Pirate Bay series isn’t made available globally, people might be incentivized to download a copy from The Pirate Bay instead. That would show that, despite being declared illegal a long time ago, the site still fills demand today.
If anything, The Pirate Bay’s history has shown that it’s impossible to stop people from pirating. The people involved are not oblivious to this fact either. However, it’s no different from all other productions they’re working on and Johnston doesn’t expect that piracy will hurt sales.
“We can never guarantee that some ‘pirate’ version is not going to circulate but that applies to every show! Thankfully it doesn’t affect sales,” she explains
There are ways to minimize piracy, of course. A worldwide premiere on a streaming service, for example. If people can watch the series legally on a service they already subscribe to, there’s less incentive to go to The Pirate Bay; sentiment aside.
While this sounds simple; making it happen isn’t easy.
Global releases are still a rarity today for content owned by a third party, which typically sells it to the highest bidder. These negotiations take time and, in some cases, the offers simply aren’t good enough.
In theory, a globally operating streaming service could pick the show up, either this year or after its Swedish premiere.
It would be truly revolutionary if all streaming services licensed the show at the same time, making it available everywhere and to everyone; Pirate Bay style. That utopian vision is probably a bit naive though.
From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.
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ALPA, the Association Against Audiovisual Piracy (Association de Lutte contre la Piraterie Audiovisuelle) has been active in France since the mid-eighties.
With heavyweight backing from the Hollywood studios of the MPA, and the music industry through a number of large groups and organizations, wherever there’s a piracy fight in France, ALPA is unlikely to be too far away. The anti-piracy group also publishes various studies, including one that estimates audiences for pirate sites that have a key focus on France.
New Report Delivers Positive News for the Industry
Published in French, the latest edition of ‘Audience For Illicit Sites Dedicated to Video Consumption in France‘ covers the period December 2021 to December 2023. The ALPA, Mediametria, and NetRatings study has been running for the last eight years and while 2016/17/18 showed few signs of pirate audiences in decline, recent years suggest a continuous downward trend.
Illicit Video Site Audiences, Dec 2021/2023 (ALPA) Following a peak in 2018, in part due to the addition of mobile devices as a viewing source, the only year to show an uplift in pirate audiences was 2021. Linked directly to the COVID pandemic, during which piracy increased almost everywhere, 2021 can probably be ironed out as an anomaly.
According to the report, average monthly audiences for Frace-focused pirate sites dropped from 11.8m in 2019 to 6.3 million in December 2023, roughly half the size they were five years earlier.
Effect of Enforcement Actions, Deterrent Measures
While the chart below shows audiences in clear overall decline since early 2022, the suggested effect of enforcement measures and deterrent messaging on audience size, is a bit of a mixed bag.
Decisions handed down by local courts (labeled Décisions judiciaires) since late December 2021 at times precede reductions in pirate audience size. However, the opposite is also true in some cases, most notably at the end of July 2022.
Piracy Audiences By Piracy Method
French pirates have traditionally gravitated towards so-called DDL services. In terms of overall audience share, those platforms are currently neck-and-neck with streaming platforms, which tend to enjoy overall dominance elsewhere.
Between December 2021 and early 2023, audiences for streaming sites and DDL platforms display a loose mirror effect; when streaming sites peaked, DDL sites troughed. Beyond February 2023, audiences for streaming and DDL platforms appear to sync, with DDL platforms commanding a greater audience share, albeit briefly, in April 2023 and again in August 2023.
The study’s overall conclusions indicate a strong reduction in piracy audiences when compared to those seen in 2016, including a 15% overall reduction in 2023 versus 2022.
During the same period, audiences for legal content experienced a small decrease of 2%. That’s not an especially concerning figure in itself but if declining pirate audiences fail to translate into at least some increases for legal audiences, that would seem to be a much bigger worry.
ALPA’s report is available here (pdf)
From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.
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With over 420 million code repositories, GitHub takes pride in being the largest and most advanced development platform in the world.
As with other platforms that host user-generated content, this massive code library occasionally runs into copyright infringement troubles.
Pirate Devs
In some cases, people use code without obtaining permission from the creators, while others use GitHub to store pirated books or even music. And there are also developers whose projects are seen as pirate tools or apps, which often leads to copyright holder complaints.
A few high-profile takedowns have grabbed headlines over the years, including the RIAA’s takedown of YouTube-DL, which was later reversed.
Other rightsholders were more successful, with GitHub removing a variety of piracy apps last year, including Vancedflix and CloudStream. Following the demise of the original torrent site, hundreds of RARBG magnet link repos were taken down as well.
The RARBG repositories appeared online last May, quickly after the popular torrent site closed its doors. In response, some archivists collected the site’s magnet links and posted them on GitHub. Others copied these repositories to keep the data safe, but most of this effort was nullified by a single takedown request.
20,517 Downed Repos
This week, GitHub updated its latest transparency report with the latest data, revealing the total number of notices received and projects affected. The report shows that the platform processed a little over 2,000 takedown notices in 2023, which affected 20,517 repositories.
Of all notices received, just 35 were contested or retracted, and a total of 65 repositories remained online as a result.
As seen above, most repositories were taken down in March. After looking at the reported notices we couldn’t immediately find one responsible for this large uptick, but with many hundreds of “Eaglercraft” repositories flagged by Minecraft’s parent company Mojang, that certainly left a mark.
GitHub says that it will continue to take a developer-first, approach to content moderation, minimizing the disruption of software projects while protecting developer privacy. These transparency reports and the publicly posted takedown notices are a means to that end.
The transparency report also shines light on how takedown activity evolves as the platform grows. This historical data shows that, in relative terms, the number of repositories on GitHub grows faster than the takedowns.
For example, Github hosted just under 40 million repositories in 2015, of which 8,268 were taken offline. Today, the platform has more than ten times as many repositories, yet takedowns failed to triple in the same period. In fact, the number of takedowns in 2023 is lower than a year earlier.
Surge in Circumvention Notices Explained
Last year, GitHub did report a notable uptick in DMCA circumvention claims. These more than quadrupled compared to the years before and this wasn’t just a fluke, as the most recent transparency report shows.
At least initially, the reasons for this were unclear, prompting GitHub to launch an investigation. The results of this exploration, released this week, show that the explanation is quite straightforward.
In the fall of 2021, GitHub updated its DMCA takedown submission form with questions explicitly related to circumvention. Providing that option triggered many more submitters to tick that box, raising the number of ‘circumvention’ claims.
These additional circumvention ‘claims’ don’t necessarily mean that more notices were processed for this reason. According to GitHub, many of these notices were processed for other reasons instead, including as regular takedown notices.
“[W]hile significantly more notices we process allege circumvention, the rate at which we process takedown notices because of circumvention hasn’t accelerated,” GitHub writes.
Processing circumvention notices is quite costly for the company as all requests are reviewed by a team of lawyers and engineers, to ensure that developers’ projects are not taken down without valid reasons.
This extra scrutiny was first brought to the fore during the youtube-dl takedown saga, after which GitHub launched a million dollar Developer Defense Fund.
GitHub is now actively engaged in policymaking in this area. The company previously urged the US Copyright Office to expand the DMCA anti-circumvention exemptions to benefit developers, while eliminating FUD.
All in all, it’s good to see that GitHub remains committed to takedown transparency, and we will keep monitoring these and other trends going forward.
From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.
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Late last month we reported on the latest copyright claim data made available by YouTube. In the first half of 2023, YouTube said it processed 980 million Content ID claims, a 25% increase compared to a year earlier.
Given the upward trajectory, soon there will be a billion Content ID copyright claims every six months, which rounds to over two billion claims every year. To put that into perspective, if the world currently has five billion-odd internet users, that’s enough for 20% of the entire internet population to receive two copyright complaints per person, every 12 months.
Coincidentally, reports suggest that YouTube has around two billion active users already.
Takedown Notices Must be Reported
The numbers above are enormous but since Content ID-claimed videos stay up, they don’t need to be reported to the European Commission, a requirement for large platforms under the EU’s fledging Digital Services Act.
When Google and major online platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, plus others, restrict or take content offline in response to a takedown notice under Article 16, clear information must be sent under Article 17 to affected users.
Under Article 24 (5), these so-called ‘statements of reasons’ must also be sent to the European Commission. Required information includes the legal basis for the complaint, the legal basis for taking the content down, and a myriad of additional details including a synopsis of considerations preceding takedowns.
To ensure consistency, submitters use an API to file ‘statements of reasons’ (SOR) in the standardized format below.
At the time of writing, just 16 large online platforms are required to supply the EC with this information. When things were just getting warmed up in December 2023, the volume of SOR notices sent by just five submitters had reached 25.8 million per week and when all submitters’ notices were combined, the all-time total topped 710 million.
Things Have Moved On Since Then
It’s almost impossible to reconcile the figures being reported this week with any type of normal thought process. The 710 million figure reported last December was close enough to compare with the population of Europe, 746 million, give or take, or one takedown per person on average.
Over the past 24 hours especially but potentially longer, the EC system has been producing errors in response to our queries. A massive surge in reports filed by Google could be at least partly responsible.
Over 14.4 billion SOR being reported to the Commission was unexpected, to say the least. The ‘statement of reasons’ dashboard appears to show Google taking unprecedented – and as far as we can determine – mostly voluntary action, against billions of listings on its Google Shopping platform and various non-compliant content on Google Play.
Google may have submitted as many as 13.5 billion notices to the Commission thus far. From the few dozen we sampled relating to Google Shopping, many if not all cite terms of service violations committed by advertisers. Notices state that the removal was carried out as part of a voluntary initiative using automatic detection methods. We have seen examples where decisions are described as “Fully Automated” and others as “Not Automated.”
Four typical examples from the sample are presented below. The ‘ground for decision’ is the same in all notices we were able to review: Content incompatible with terms and conditions. The explanations vary considerably.
– There was a problem identified with the criteria used in your ads
– One or more of your products have images with promotional text or obstructions
– Google identified that some of your products contain adult-oriented content
– Some of your products have generic images. Use images that clearly show the productGoogle statements – click to enlarge Whether this has anything (or nothing) to do with the antitrust case hanging over Google in Europe is unknown. After the European Commission (EC) found that Google had used its dominant position in search, to gain an unfair market advantage elsewhere, the EC hit Google with a €2.4 billion fine.
Google challenged the EC at the EU Court of Justice but, in late 2021, its case was mostly dismissed and the Court confirmed the €2.4 billion fine. In an opinion released by EU Court of Justice Advocate General Juliane Kokott last month, the EU Court was advised to dismiss Google’s objections and uphold the fine.
When attempting to pull more data on Thursday evening, the EC’s system continued to throw error after error as Google continuously filed new reports. Given the number of notices already on file, not to mention the errors when attempting to pull the maximum 1,000-item reports currently allowed, checking anything like a representative sample is impossible. However, every statement we were able to access followed similar formats to those shown above.
Rightsholders Use DSA to Remove Apps from Google Play
The billions of reports filed by Google include over 208,000 that appear in response to a search for Google Play + Apps, with no specified content category or reason.
When filtering for intellectual property-related issues, over 2,800 reports indicate the removal of apps from Google Play, many listing ‘Copyright’ as the ‘legal ground relied on’.
The pair of notices shown below are typical of those we were able to review, most if not all of which reference technical issues experienced by Google.
Google statements – click to enlarge In common with many of the others, the notices state that the apps were removed from Google Play in response to a “Notice submitted in accordance with Article 16 DSA” which in broad terms governs a DMCA-style takedown mechanism but applicable to a broader range of content.
The EU system improves on the U.S. variant by requiring reasons to be published, but lags behind in a non-insignificant way by disallowing references to content and identification of the notice-sender, which critically undermines investigations into abuse.
The EC’s Statement of Reasons transparency database is available here
From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.
The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (
Starting last year, various rightsholders have filed 
When pirated copies of “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” came out nearly two decades ago, The Pirate Bay changed its front page logo. 
With over 420 million code repositories, 
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