- Italy’s telecom watchdog fined Cloudflare 14 million euros for failing to block pirate sites
- The fine was issued under the country’s Piracy Shield
- Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince threatens to pull servers from Italy
Cloudflare has launched a fierce attack on Italian authorities after being hit with a massive fine and threatened to strip the country of its servers and withdraw support for the upcoming Winter Olympics.
The web infrastructure company confirmed that it has received a fine of approximately 14 million euros ($17 million) from AGCOM, Italy’s communications watchdog. The penalty was issued because Cloudflare refused to register with Italy’s controversial Piracy Shield framework to block access to copyright-infringing domains via its 1.1.1.1 public DNS resolver.
Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince didn’t mince words in his response. Taking to X, Prince slammed the decision as an “unfair” overhaul more in line with restrictive governments than European democracies.
DNS resolvers like Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 act as the Internet’s “phone book.” Prince argues that forcing a recursive resolver to block content sets a dangerous precedent that “risks blackening every site on the Internet,” not just in Italy but globally.
While many users can still rely on the best VPN to navigate geo-restrictions and maintain privacy, Italy has previously shared plans to also require VPNs to block pirated content under the Piracy Shield rules.
“Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes”
The conflict centers on Italy’s aggressive anti-piracy framework known as the Piracy Shield. Introduced to crack down on illegal streams of live sports (specifically Serie A football), the system requires internet service providers (ISPs) and DNS providers to block access to pirated streams within 30 minutes of being notified.
Cloudflare has consistently claimed that it is merely a conduit for traffic, not the host of content. We previously reported on how Italy’s piracy shield may be in breach of EU law and experts warn it risks over-blocking legitimate websites.
“We will of course now fight the unjust fine. Not just because it is wrong for us, but because it is wrong for democratic values,” Prince said.
The most shocking element of the response was the ultimatum Prince issued to the Italian government. Instead of simply appealing the fine, Cloudflare is also weighing a few options that would see it leave the region entirely.
Yesterday, a quasi-judicial body in Italy fined @Cloudflare $17M for not going along with their plan to censor the internet. The scheme, called for by the EU itself, required us to completely censor from the internet within just 30 minutes of the announcement… pic.twitter.com/qZf9UKEAY59 January 2026
Cloudflare is actually considering cutting off the millions of dollars in pro bono cybersecurity services the company agreed to provide for the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
The company is threatening to discontinue Cloudflare’s free cybersecurity services for all Italian-based users, while also removing all servers from Italian cities. It could also end any plans to build an Italian Cloudflare office or make investments in the country.
“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes,” Prince wrote.
Cloudflare vs. Europe
This €14 million fine is the latest escalation in a wider conflict between Cloudflare and European rights holders. As privacy advocates fight to keep the Internet open and secure, copyright holders are putting increasing pressure on intermediaries to act as Internet police.
We have seen similar tensions in Spain, where Cloudflare and La Liga’s conflict deepens over orders blocking piracy. In a legal first, a French court ordered five of the most popular VPN providers to block access to over 200 illegal sports streaming sites.
As previously told TechRadar, Cloudflare firmly believes that network blocking will never be the solution to piracy. The company claims that DNS-level blocking is ineffective because users can easily switch to other resolvers, and it risks causing security damage by accidentally blocking legitimate websites that share the same IP resources.
For now, Cloudflare intends to appeal the decision through the courts. “We have and will continue to challenge this decision in the tribunals,” Prince stated, signaling that the battle for the open internet in Italy is far from over.
