Search engines to block torrent sites on June 1

Starting June 1, 2017, search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo will no longer be displaying torrent results and pages like The Pirate Bay, Torrentz, and similar sites in a move to suppress piracy.

The search engines have made an agreement to block these sites starting June 1, 2017 in addition to links for pirated movies and TV series. Google and other companies have teamed up with the entertainment industry for this move. The sites to be blocked include The Pirate Bay, Torrentz, ExtraTorrents, KickassTorrents as well as other ‘similar links’.

Said agreement is reported to be ‘extremely close’ to being signed.

“The search engines involved in this work have been very co-operative, making changes to their algorithms and processes, but also working bilaterally with creative industry representatives to explore the options for new interventions, and how existing processes might be streamlined,” said Baroness Buscombe from UK’s parliament. “All parties have also agreed that the code should take effect, and the targets in it be reached, by 1 June this year,” she added.

Intellectual Property Office of UK has spearheaded discussion between Google and other search engine companies with the entertainment firms, but both parties are still trying to reach a voluntary agreement.

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