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The Pirate Bay Now Blocked In Chrome, Firefox, And Safari (torrentfreak.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Google Chrome, Firefox and Safari are actively blocking direct access to The Pirate Bay. Kickass Torrents suffered such a similar incident last month, because of the intermediary confirmation screen that appeared every time users navigated away from the site.

The reason why these three browsers block access to The Pirate Bay is unknown, but it could be related to a malvertising campaign that has plagued the site for more than two weeks. Two weeks ago, the malvertising campaign intensified right when season six of Game of Thrones premiered.

Meanwhile, HBO is contacting sites asking them to remove Game of Thrones torrents, and sending thousands of copyright infringement warnings to ISPs, urging them to remind pirates that they can stream HBO content legally after purchasing a subscription to HBO.

31 of 202 comments (clear)

  1. Always browse torrent sites with Javascript off... by ZorinLynx · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They can be pretty nasty. Since it's illegal, they don't mind using illegal means to try to make money, such as compromising your computer and installing malware.

    Be careful, folks. :)

  2. Lies by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

    I just tried it and I didn't receive any message.

    1. Re:Lies by Mistakill · · Score: 4, Informative

      Works fine here... *puzzled look*

    2. Re:Lies by Sax+Russell+5449D29A · · Score: 2

      Seems to work just fine on Chrome, Chromium and Firefox on both Linux and Windows. Even on fresh installs with default settings.

      --
      -SR
  3. Blame DRM by barlevg · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I subscribe to HBO. I own a TiVo. But HBO forces TiVo to prevent copying of HBO content off the TiVo and onto, say, a mobile device (note that this is not a problem with most TiVo content). Thus, if I want to watch an HBO show on the subway, I have no choice but to download it illegally.

    1. Re:Blame DRM by jshackney · · Score: 2, Informative

      Can't speak for HBO, but for Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, neither works outside the United States. Why am I paying for these services if I can't use them?

    2. Re:Blame DRM by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I subscribe to HBO. I own a TiVo. But HBO forces TiVo to prevent copying of HBO content off the TiVo and onto, say, a mobile device (note that this is not a problem with most TiVo content). Thus, if I want to watch an HBO show on the subway, I have no choice but to download it illegally.

      And that's the real problem that the media monopolies refuse to acknowledge. I will gladly pay for content. Seriously, I want to give you my money. But, in return, I want to download it to my computer's hard drive with no DRM. Otherwise, fuck you. I'll get it from unlegal sources.

    3. Re:Blame DRM by sir1963nz · · Score: 5, Insightful

      worse here. To watch GoT you need sky basic NZ$50 + HBO NZ$10 a month. Thats NZ$120. BUT.... you MUST have a 12 month subscription so that comes to NZ$720 NO, I don't want sky. If this were me buying Milk I would find that Milk costs $5, but you must buy $60 worth of other groceries you don't want first, and you must buy those groceries every week for a year. Only then can you get the milk. Now I do pay NZ$12 a month for Netflix, unlimited viewing of large volume of content where I choose to watch what I want when I want on what device I choose, where ever I want, AND 2 other people in my house can do the same. So I am NOT going to pay more than that for content I am forced to watch when THEY want me to only on ONE device and then have to suffer adverts too. Can I subscribe to HBO, no. Stop setting up anti-competitive systems

    4. Re:Blame DRM by CRC'99 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I subscribe to HBO. I own a TiVo. But HBO forces TiVo to prevent copying of HBO content off the TiVo and onto, say, a mobile device (note that this is not a problem with most TiVo content). Thus, if I want to watch an HBO show on the subway, I have no choice but to download it illegally.

      And that's the real problem that the media monopolies refuse to acknowledge. I will gladly pay for content. Seriously, I want to give you my money. But, in return, I want to download it to my computer's hard drive with no DRM. Otherwise, fuck you. I'll get it from unlegal sources.

      Here in Australia, the only way you can watch it is to subscribe to FoxTel (one of the few choices for PayTV). It doesn't put things like Game of Thrones on their basic packages - so it can cost you up to $80/mo to see a season of GoT.

      So, we download it from a service that is another letter on top of that time syncing protocol, and all is well.

      Then delete it and buy the HD version from Google Play when it becomes available.

      --
      Sendmail is like emacs: A nice operating system, but missing an editor and a MTA.
    5. Re: Blame DRM by jovius · · Score: 2

      Here in Finland Game of Thrones is presented by the public broadcaster (they also provide it on their online service five episodes a time). Basically then downloading the episodes is not thievery, but an alternative way to access the content. It's paid for by my taxes (although I got tired of the series after the 3rd season).

      Same goes for other (commercial) providers, who broadcast freely. Imagine that I'd have a tv or online scraper and I'd be able to record everything. Or perhaps record everything on every radio station, and then neatly organize the recordings for my own use. Nobody would have lost anything, if I'd download all of that instead. One could also argue that this would cover everything that would be broadcasted in the future.

      If I'd share the content with somebody else I'd probably be notified. Still, if I'd share it freely with people who have the same access (nationally) I'd just to a service for them, and they wouldn't also steal anything.

      The concept of thievery in this case is rather fluid.

    6. Re: Blame DRM by amias · · Score: 2

      Doesn't work in the UK, it says this region is not supported

      --
      [site]
    7. Re:Blame DRM by Opportunist · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Why the fuck would anyone willingly do that? Your social security sucks, your healthcare sucks, your retirement plans suck and the working conditions do, too.

      Seriously, how fucked up must the conditions in your country be that you want to go to the US?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  4. Seems to be an SSL issue? by Cow+Jones · · Score: 3, Interesting
    It's true that I can't connect to https://thepiratebay.se/ in Firefox, but the error message doesn't really indicate anything that would make me look for a conspiracy:

    Secure Connection Failed

    An error occurred during a connection to thepiratebay.se. SSL received a record that exceeded the maximum permissible length. Error code: SSL_ERROR_RX_RECORD_TOO_LONG

    The page you are trying to view cannot be shown because the authenticity of the received data could not be verified.
    Please contact the website owners to inform them of this problem.

    I see these warnings from time to time... maybe they just messed up their SSL config.

    --

    Ah, arrogance and stupidity, all in the same package. How efficient of you. -- Londo Mollari
  5. Re:Always browse torrent sites with Javascript off by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You make it sound like non-torrent sites aren't nasty.

  6. Re:Always browse torrent sites with Javascript off by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Currently, users accessing The Pirate Bay through Chrome will see the error "Deceptive site ahead," the ones accessing the portal through Firefox will see "Reported Web Forgery!," and Safari users will see "Suspected Phishing Site" in their browsers.

    -->> Users are allowed to skip these errors and continue at their own expense. Screenshots are embedded below for reference.

    (emphasis mine)

    So people aren't actually being blocked, they're just being given a warning which they can ignore.

    Good work Slashdot. Another shitty article with a title that's flat out wrong.

  7. Re:Nope. by rudy_wayne · · Score: 2

    I expect it's covered by these options under security:

    [ ] Block reported attack sites
    [ ] Block reported web forgeries

    If you don't have these ticked then Firefox won't block the sites I expect.

    Apparently,a lot of people don't understand the meaning of the word "block". Those setting don't actually block anything, they just display a warning which you can ignore.

  8. no by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I don't want to subscribe to HBO. I want to subscribe the Game of Thrones. Not the rest of your crap.

  9. The beauty of modern TV shows by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

    Game of Thrones has become such a boring cliche! Making money from the same old song, over and over again! I hope HBO crashes in default.

  10. Don't want HBO? Buy discs. by tepples · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I don't want to subscribe to HBO. I want to subscribe the Game of Thrones.

    You can do that by buying each season's DVD or BD set as it comes out.

    1. Re:Don't want HBO? Buy discs. by thewolfkin · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I don't want to subscribe to HBO. I want to subscribe the Game of Thrones.

      You can do that by buying each season's DVD or BD set as it comes out.

      But The Oatmeal taught me that having to wait for disc releases is an unreasonable burden and it's unfair to ask that of someone.

      --
      Just another second banana
  11. Re:Always browse torrent sites with Javascript off by Revek · · Score: 5, Informative

    They send tons of emails to us. We contact them to pay to be their process server and they hang up the phone. Piracy is when someone makes copies and sells them. So far no bottom dwelling copyright spammer has agreed to pay for us to deliver their letter. We have never received a single subpoena. They think we have to do it for free here in the land of the fee. Even if one finally did buck up and pay for us to deliver them they would still be handled as a civil suit. Feel free to shill away how wrong I am but I have real world knowledge about how cheap these bottom feeders are.

  12. Reported Web Forgery! - WRONG by zedaroca · · Score: 2

    The problem I have with Firefox's warning ("Reported Web Forgery!") is that the first thing I though was that TPB had been hacked, or their domain stolen/changed, and a forgery was on their place, like what happened with eztv.
    I wasn't sure if they were claiming that the legit TPB was a forgery, or if I was trying to access a forgery of TPB.

  13. Re:LOTR films and GOT series spoiled by RR's books by thewolfkin · · Score: 2

    yeah there was a joke about that recently.

    --
    Just another second banana
  14. Re:Always browse torrent sites with Javascript off by davester666 · · Score: 2

    typed in thepiratebay.org in firefox 46.0.1 and didn't get any warning. same with Safari.

    is this blocking only happening when you click on a link?

    --
    Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
  15. Re:LOTR films and GOT series spoiled by RR's books by l0n3s0m3phr34k · · Score: 2

    Not with the new season, it's now moved beyond his current books.

  16. Re: Always browse torrent sites with Javascript of by o_ferguson · · Score: 2

    Naw, man, the ethical consequences are awesome. I don't have to decide what to watch anymore, the TV does that for me.

    --
    - In Soviet Korea, only old people loose all their bases to Natalie Portman's petrified hot grits overlords.
  17. I cannot subscribe to HBO by El_Muerte_TDS · · Score: 2

    If I could subscribe to HBO I probably would, but they do not offer their service to me in the country I live in unless I also get a TV subscription.
    Just let me subscribe and watch content like Netflix lets me.

  18. Not if HBO wont let us subscribe by GNious · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Meanwhile, HBO is contacting sites asking them to remove Game of Thrones torrents, and sending thousands of copyright infringement warnings to ISPs, urging them to remind pirates that they can stream HBO content legally after purchasing a subscription to HBO.

    Erhm, I think ca 93% of the world cannot subscribe to HBO, due to HBO not making themselves available.

  19. Two steps by allo · · Score: 4, Informative

    1) Disable Google Phishing protection. Because it sends urls to google and because it updates the blocklist using a tracking cookie (google wrkey)
    2) Install Adblock and Noscript

    Then enjoy TPB

  20. Guilty free by pixie.pt · · Score: 2

    My tv subscription do broadcast GoT, although a few hours later because of subtitles, since I don't have the need for those I still download them from those torrent sites, and HBO still gets the very same cut, and payed well in advance by my tv provider. So I am pretty much guilty free, and has a service that extends the usefulness of GoT without them having to pay one extra cent.

  21. Re:Always browse torrent sites with Javascript off by Opportunist · · Score: 2

    Talk about yourself and your kangaroo courts, free countries don't consider information illegal.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.