AGCOM vs AIRVPN - Termination of service in Italy

Hello!

We regret to inform you that we will be discontinuing the service to residents of Italy as of February the 19th, 2024.
From the above date, any user registering on the platform must declare that he/she is not a resident of Italy. The purchase page will have IP address-based geolocation and will not be served to IP addresses located in Italy. We will not interrupt the service to current subscribers until the natural expiry date and the refund policy will be granted as usual.
 

The so-called "Italian Piracy Shield" is a legal framework with implementing regulation by AGCOM (Italian Telecommunications Authority) that forces operators offering services in Italy to block access to end services through IP blocking and/or DNS poisoning.  The list of IP addresses and domain names to be blocked is drawn up by private bodies authorised by AGCOM (currently, for example, Sky and DAZN). These private bodies enter the blocking lists in a specific platform. The blocks must be enforced within 30 minutes of their first appearance by operators offering any service to residents of Italy.

There is no judicial review and no review by AGCOM. The block must be enforced inaudita altera parte and without the possibility of real time refusal, even in the case of manifest error. Any objection by the aggrieved party can only be made at a later stage, after the block has been imposed. For further details:
https://www-wired-it.translate.goog/article/piracy-shield-agcom-piattaforma-streaming-pirata-calcio-segnalazioni/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp

The above requirements are too burdensome for AirVPN, both economically and technically. They are also incompatible with AirVPN's mission and would negatively impact service performance. They pave the way for widespread blockages in all areas of human activity and possible interference with fundamental rights (whether accidental or deliberate). Whereas in the past each individual blockade was carefully evaluated either by the judiciary or by the authorities, now any review is completely lost. The power of those private entities authorized to compile the block lists becomes enormous as the blocks are not verified by any third party and the authorized entities are not subject to any specific fine or statutory damage for errors or over-blocking.

By withdrawing service availability from Italy, AirVPN will be able to stay outside the scope of the framework and maintain integrity and efficient operations.

We certainly sympathise with our fellow Italian citizens, and we will be happy to offer advice and alternatives. We would also like to remind them of our more than ten years of support for the Tor network, which is freely accessible even from Italy, and which is becoming increasingly reliable and fast thanks to a myriad of small contributions like ours.

Kind regards and datalove
AirVPN Staff