Fmovies, Other Notorious Piracy Streaming Sites Shut Down by Vietnamese Authorities

Fmovies, known as the world’s largest piracy streaming platform, has been shut down by Vietnamese police in a coordinated effort with the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE). The operation, led by Hanoi Police, targeted Fmovies and its related sites, such as bflixz, movies7, myflixer, and heymovies, effectively ending their illegal streaming activities. A video hosting domain, Vidsrc.to, also connected to the Fmovies operators, was taken offline as part of the action.

Since its launch in 2016, Fmovies became notorious for its extensive network of piracy sites. Between January 2023 and June 2024, the Fmovies network reportedly received more than 6.7 billion visits. Charles Rivkin, CEO of the Motion Picture Association and chairman of ACE, referred to the takedown as a major step in the fight against piracy. “We took down the mothership here,” Rivkin said, emphasizing a more targeted approach to combating piracy.

In 2023, Fmovies was ranked as the 11th most-visited site globally in the TV, movies, and streaming category, according to SimilarWeb data. It has been listed on the U.S. Trade Representative’s “notorious markets” list for piracy since 2017. Rivkin noted that many users may not realize these sites operate illegally, as they can appear just as polished as legitimate services.

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has argued that shutting down piracy sites boosts traffic to legitimate streaming platforms. A study from Carnegie Mellon University showed an increase in digital movie revenue after the closure of a major piracy site.

The MPA, with new executive VP Larissa Knapp and in cooperation with Vietnamese authorities and U.S. agencies, aims to hold the Fmovies operators accountable. Marc E. Knapper, the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, stated that protecting intellectual property is crucial for the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership. Vietnamese film industry leaders also praised the efforts, noting the importance of intellectual property rights for industry growth.