Jaani Riordan appeared for the applicants, who were organisers and promoters of boxing events including pay-per-view events involving Anthony Joshua, in this claim for a website blocking injunction under section 97A of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
This was an application to extend and vary an existing blocking order which covered target servers making available unauthorised live streams of Matchroom’s boxing events. Blocking was permitted to take place on a ‘dynamic’ basis with target servers being identified and notified for blocking on a near real-time basis, using an updated version of the mechanism approved in Football Association Premier League Limited v British Telecommunications plc [No 1] [2017] EWHC 480 (Ch).
Birss J concluded that it was proportionate to grant the relief sought, and directed that blocking continue until 1 October 2022.
The judgment provides valuable guidance on the practice and procedure applicable to claims for website blocking orders, including the confidentiality of the blocking mechanism. Annexed to the judgment are the public parts of the blocking order drafted on behalf of the applicants, to serve as a model for future such applications.