Millions of internet users in Spain are suddenly finding themselves unable to access huge swaths of the web. This chaos erupted after La Liga, the country’s top football league, pushed internet service providers (ISPs) to block specific IP addresses and DNS services. The goal was to stop websites from illegally streaming football matches. Instead, the move has spiraled out of control, cutting off access to countless legitimate sites and leaving netizens frustrated.
La Liga targeted platforms they say were pirating their games, like DazcFutbolios and RBTV77, which reportedly drew over 400,000 monthly users in Spain. These sites used Cloudflare, a widely trusted internet infrastructure company, to mask their identities. Cloudflare powers millions of websites globally with shared IP addresses, meaning one IP can serve thousands of domains.
When La Liga forced ISPs to block these IPs, they didn’t just hit the piracy sites. They also blocked a massive chunk of unrelated websites relying on the same Cloudflare IPs. Users now report that up to 60% of the sites they try to visit are unreachable.
The backlash online is fierce. One user vented, “I can’t access half the internet anymore. It’s ridiculous.” Another added, “Even sites that have nothing to do with football are blocked. This is overreach.” People are scrambling for fixes like VPNs or custom DNS setups, but these options aren’t simple or practical for everyone, especially as some VPN IPs are blocked too.
Cloudflare isn’t taking this quietly. The company has filed a lawsuit against La Liga, slamming the blocks as “unlawful” and a “clear threat to the open internet.” They argue that La Liga rushed the order through without warning cloud providers or considering the fallout for innocent users. In a statement, Cloudflare said, “La Liga secured this blocking order while concealing from the court the predictable harm to third parties and the public good.”
This mess could reshape how the internet works. If big players like La Liga can strong-arm ISPs into mass IP blocks, the web might splinter, with access hinging on corporate whims. For now, Spain’s netizens are stuck in limbo, waiting on Cloudflare’s legal fight to see if their internet can be whole again.
Dwayne Cubbins
718 Posts
For nearly a decade, I've been deciphering the complexities of the tech world, with a particular passion for helping users navigate the ever-changing tech landscape. From crafting in-depth guides that unlock your phone's hidden potential to uncovering and explaining the latest bugs and glitches, I make sure you get the most out of your devices. And yes, you might occasionally find me ranting about some truly frustrating tech mishaps.
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