these very well-known sites are in the crosshairs of the authorities to close them

In addition to streaming platforms, the report identifies intermediaries essential to their operation. These include domain name registries and registrars, search engines, reverse proxies, and hosts and payment processors.

Some come up often in past years’ reports, but few are included in the final list. The USTR thus listened to the remarks of associations such as the i2Coalition, which wish to avoid excessively broadening the definition of piracy. This method allows you to focus on the most active platforms and their main infrastructures.

Notorious sites mentioned include household names like The Pirate Bay, 1337x, and YTS. These platforms, which have been on the list for several years, continue to play a central role in the distribution of pirated content. Other names include cyberlockers such as Krakenfiles and Rapidgator, as well as publishing sites like LibGen and Sci-Hub.

Finally, new entrants appear in the 2024 list. Among them, we find Fitgirl-Repacks, specializing in pirated compressed games, and the streaming site Y2Mate, added at the request of the RIAA. These platforms are complemented by services like MagisTV and Hianime, which replace sites closed during previous operations.