However, the fight against online piracy is far from over. the guys behind MissAV, it seems, aren’t going down without a fight. With lightning speed, the resourceful operators have already migrated their content to a new domain, MissAV.ws, which highlights the cat-and-mouse game that often plays out between copyright holders and pirates.
The takedown of MissAV sends a clear message to various other pirate websites that attract huge traffic on a daily basis. For these pirate websites, the authorities taking a proactive stance against piracy is a warning sign, and the risk of seizure is very real.
For the unversed, The Japanese copyright agency sued the adult website MissAV for $45 million and seized its main domain name. At the time of this article, the copyright agency (the producer of adult video content) had won the case. The court required the members behind MissAV to pay $4.5 million instead of $45 million, but the court also agreed to transfer the seizure of the website’s main domain name to the copyright agency. But if reports are to be believed, the reincarnated new domain name has also been targeted.
While the MissAV shutdown is a win for industry operators to some extent, the pirates transitioning to a new domain MissAV.ws at blazing fast speed demonstrates the hydra-like nature of online piracy. Shutting down one site often leads to the creation of another or being shifted to an entirely new domain.
Furthermore, the message displayed on the confiscated domain emphasizes the importance of supporting legal platforms like FANZA. By providing a convenient and affordable way to access JAV content, these platforms can help to starve pirate sites of their audience. To some extent FANZA’s parent organization DMM is to blame for the sudden spike in foreign traffic to these websites, as early as 2021 the Japanese firm had rolled back its foreign operations by abruptly closing R18, its marketplace for the western audience.
The fight against piracy requires constant vigilance from content creators, distributors, and law enforcement agencies. New technologies and strategies are needed to stay ahead of the curve.
This particular incident is a cautionary tale for both consumers and pirates of JAV. For viewers, it highlights the importance of supporting legal platforms and the risks associated with accessing pirated content. For the pirates, it serves as a stark reminder that the authorities are closing in, and the days of free, unfettered access to stolen content may be numbered.
The war on piracy is far from over, but the takedown of MissAV is a significant step in the right direction. It’s a victory for JAV studios and legal distributors, and a reminder that the future of online JAV access lies in supporting a legal and sustainable ecosystem like ZENRA.
