An international anti-piracy coalition has successfully dismantled Fmovies. This is a significant win for the entertainment industry. Fmovies was one of the largest illegal streaming operations based in Vietnam. The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) led the operation, with support from major Hollywood studios. The operation resulted in the shutdown of Fmovies and several affiliated sites. This action marks a substantial blow against online piracy.
The coalition, which includes industry giants like Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon, and Walt Disney Studios, worked closely with Hanoi police to carry out the operation. The authorities also took down the video hosting provider Vidsrc.to, operated by the same suspects. Police arrested two Vietnamese men in connection with the case, though they have not yet been formally charged.
Charles Rivkin, chairman of the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and ACE, praised the operation. He called it a pivotal moment for the global creative community. Rivkin described the shutdown as “a stunning victory” for casts, crews, writers, directors, studios, and creators worldwide. He emphasized the coalition’s strategy of targeting piracy at its roots, not just individual sites.
Larissa Knapp, a senior executive at the MPA, highlighted the operation as a strong deterrent against future piracy. She expressed commitment to continued collaboration with authorities, including US Homeland Security and the US Department of Justice, to prosecute those responsible.
Fmovies had long been a notorious name in the world of online piracy, with the US Trade Representative’s office listing it as a significant counterfeiting and piracy threat since 2017. At its peak in 2023, Fmovies ranked as the 11th most popular website in the TV, movies, and streaming category.
Marc E. Knapper, the US ambassador to Vietnam, underscored the importance of intellectual property rights in the US-Vietnam partnership, noting that these prosecutions reflect Vietnam’s commitment to fostering a healthy economic environment for creators and inventors.