The ongoing battle against the TV piracy site Sdarot has escalated significantly, with multiple Israeli entertainment companies taking legal action against the operators. Despite previous attempts to block the site through a court injunction in the U.S., which ultimately failed to materialize, efforts to shut down Sdarot have continued.
The recent developments include international raids, server seizures, and a comprehensive lawsuit filed in Israel targeting 14 individuals allegedly involved in the operation of the site. Despite these legal actions, Sdarot remains operational, defiantly taunting its adversaries.
The persistence of Sdarot underscores the challenges faced by rights holders in combating online piracy effectively. Despite concerted efforts and legal actions, some pirate sites continue to evade shutdown and maintain their operations. The outcome of the lawsuit in Israel and any subsequent actions taken against Sdarot will be closely watched as stakeholders seek to address the issue of online piracy in the entertainment industry.
The situation surrounding Sdarot, Israel’s prominent pirate site, mirrors the enduring resilience of platforms like The Pirate Bay. Despite facing legal challenges and attempts at shutdown, both have managed to remain operational, drawing the ire of entertainment companies while maintaining a loyal user base.
Unlike The Pirate Bay, which has generated substantial revenue over the years, Sdarot’s profitability is intricately linked to its subscription model. Users pay fees for access to premium TV channels, making the operators lucrative targets for legal action.
Efforts to combat Sdarot’s operations have extended beyond Israel, with copyright infringement lawsuits filed in New York resulting in a multimillion-dollar damages award. However, ambitious attempts to force ISPs in the United States to block Sdarot’s domains faced significant pushback from tech companies and were ultimately withdrawn.
Recent reports indicate that Sdarot is now facing another legal battle in Israel, with a lawsuit filed against 14 individuals allegedly involved in the platform’s operation. The lawsuit describes a sophisticated criminal enterprise involved in the illegal distribution of copyrighted content, money laundering, and exploitation of minors.
Evidence gathered by an anti-piracy group suggests the use of cryptocurrency wallets to process payments from users, further complicating efforts to disrupt Sdarot’s operations. Despite mounting legal pressure, the site remains operational, raising questions about the effectiveness of enforcement actions in combating online piracy.
The investigation into Sdarot appears to have cast a wide net, targeting individuals involved in various aspects of the site’s operations, regardless of their specific roles or responsibilities. From the alleged owner, Michael Ben-Ami, to developers, hosting providers, and moderators of social media channels, the lawsuit names several individuals implicated in facilitating the distribution of pirated content.
Michael Ben-Ami, identified as the alleged owner of Sdarot, has a history with the site dating back to earlier attempts to shut it down in 2013. Ephraim Fishel Shtroch is accused of developing the site’s mobile and smart TV applications, while Aviel Twito provided hosting services. Other individuals named in the lawsuit include Ariel Eisental, Bar Lubinger, Shaul Amedi, Daniel Levy, Shoval Reshef, Lipez Nossen, David Shemesh, Alik Abramson, Yuval Abramzon, Idan Yuval, and Yarin Shimoni, each allegedly playing various roles in the site’s operation.
Zira, the anti-piracy group behind the investigation, has hailed the lawsuit as a significant step in combating copyright infringement in Israel. However, tensions between Sdarot and Zira have escalated, with the site attributing technical malfunctions to Zira’s activities and threatening individuals allegedly involved in the seizure of Sdarot’s server in Israel.
The legal battle between Sdarot and Zira underscores the ongoing struggle between copyright holders and pirate sites, highlighting the complexities and challenges associated with enforcing copyright law in the digital age.
The situation at Sdarot escalated on July 12, with the site coming under attack from multiple fronts in at least four different countries. In response, an announcement was made stating that the site would only be accessible to subscribers until normal operations could resume in a few days.
Amidst the turmoil, public allegations were leveled against Ido Natan, the CEO of Zira. A tweet from Sdarot’s account questioned Natan’s background, suggesting that he had previously served as the personal assistant to the Minister of Justice before suddenly becoming CEO of Zira.
The following day, Eli Cohen, the pseudonym used by the owner of Sdarot, made an unexpected offer to shut down the site under certain conditions.
With memes quickly descending into more personal insults, Sdarot acknowledged the existence of the Zira lawsuit on August 2 and also appeared to shine light on allegations that the site “exploited minors.”
“I heard that Zira reached the bottom of the ladder. They decided to sue 14 people, some of whom live in Israel. Some of them are minors, all because they claim to have been part of the site’s team about a decade ago,” the tweet reads, adding: “You increased our motivation to continue.”
This week Sdarot announced two things: 1) the operation to shut the site down (Operation: Sunstroke) had come to an end. 2) On September 7, 2023, Sdarot is expected to make a full comeback.
