United King Film Distribution Ltd v British Telecommunications PLC

23 January 2025

Martin Howe KC (instructed by Penningtons Manches Cooper) applied for a website blocking injunction under section 97A of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 against BT and five other UK internet service providers, on behalf of United King and three other Israeli broadcasters. The order, granted by Richard Smith J, required the ISPs to block access to an unlicensed website called Israel TV. It operates under a number of different domain names and live streams the claimants’ broadcasts to its subscribers, who pay with cryptocurrency, outside Israel, and also makes available for download a large unlicensed recorded collection of their programmes.

The court heard evidence that the UK is one of the largest Hebrew language markets outside Israel and that the claimants had previously taken other measures to curb the activities of Israel TV through proceedings in other jurisdictions and seeking to block credit card payments.

The judge considered that granting of the order in the circumstances was necessary and proportionate and made an order with the safeguards which have become normal for these website blocking orders.