Google receives DMCA takedown request for NFL VPN streaming guides

A DMCA takedown notice has been sent to Google on behalf of the NFL, requesting the removal of sixteen URLs that “promote the use of their software to illegally stream NFL games.”

As first spotted by TorrentFreak, the DMCA request was sent by British IT reseller NetResult on behalf of the NFL and cites 16 allegedly infringing URLs. Many of these sites describe how to utilise a VPN service to view NFL matches that would otherwise be geoblocked outside of the US.

While most VPN services have a primary focus of securing web traffic and providing an extra level of privacy online, most applications of this kind enable users to set their device’s location to elsewhere around the world. In this way, geo-specific services such as the BBC iPlayer and Hulu can be accessed outside of their markets of availability.

Many streaming services, such as Sky Go, have moved to remedy this by blocking VPN use altogether but this is a largely consumer-hostile move that some companies might want to avoid.

TorrentFreak notes that only three pages have been deleted from Google’s search results so far.

Digital TV Europe has reached out to the involved parties for comment.