On Sunday (30), an Argentine court ordered the shutdown of 22 illegal streaming applications, many of which were widely used in Brazil, including BTV, Red Play, and Blue TV. This action marks the second phase of a regional crackdown on platforms distributing copyrighted content without authorization. Earlier in November, 14 other services had already been taken offline.

According to Alianza, the association that combats audiovisual piracy in Latin America, more than 2 million users paid monthly fees to access these platforms, which operated mainly through TV boxes and IPTV devices. Although such devices are allowed in Brazil, they must be certified by Anatel, the national telecommunications regulator.

Following the shutdown, many users publicly reported service interruptions on consumer complaint platforms. Brazilian consumer protection authorities clarified that individuals who knowingly subscribe to illegal services forfeit their consumer rights, as the companies behind such platforms are often not legally registered entities.

This decision is unrelated to Brazil’s Operation 404, a nationwide initiative that recently blocked 535 websites and one streaming app offering pirated content. The actions in Argentina stem from an investigation launched in 2024, following Alianza’s submission of evidence to the Cybercrime Unit of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Buenos Aires.