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The Motion Picture Association (MPA) is pressing for VPN providers, proxies, and Content Delivery Systems to cooperate with anti-piracy measures The MPA also urges the EU to adopt an automated system that can block pirated content in real-time, without the need for court approvalItaly and France have already begun forcing some VPN and DNS services to block access to illegal streaming sitesAfter sports streaming groups, the movie industry is now pressing for VPN providers, proxies, and Content Delivery Systems to help combat online piracy in Europe.The Motion Picture Association (MPA), a group representing Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros., and other major streaming giants, urges European countries to adopt an automated system that can block pirated content in real-time, without requiring court approval. Crucially, the MPA demands that VPN and other intermediary services must cooperate by actively blocking illegal streaming content.This comes only a few days after Canal+ scored a legal victory in France, as some of the best VPN service providers were ordered to block access to 203 domains linked to illegal sports streaming sites.TechRadar needs you! We want to know what you think about the world of VPNs. Whether you're a novice or a VPN pro, we want to hear your thoughts. Don't worry, though, your responses are completely anonymous, and it takes less than a minute to complete!To take part, click the link below: https://futurenet.questionpro.eu/tr-vpnMPA demandsResponding to a 2023 inquiry from the EU Commission, the MPA submitted some detailed remarks on May 25, 2025 – as first reported by Torrent Freak.Specifically, the group pointed out that, while the EU framework currently grants rights-holders some powerful tools, there are existing inconsistencies among EU countries in implementing blocking laws to successfully tackle copyright infringements."Focus should be placed on ensuring their effective implementation across all EU Member States," wrote the MPA in a letter.One way to do that, according to the group, is enabling rights-holders to act quickly when copyright infringements occur, especially when it comes to live content."MPA is therefore supportive of automated effective site-blocking mechanisms that can be updated in real-time with appropriate safeguards to address emerging infringing streams," said the group, mentioning real-time blocks already in place across Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Brazil.To do so, however, not only should internet service providers (ISPs) play a key role in blocking pirated content. The MPA also pressures for cooperation from all other service providers that may connect users to piracy sites."This includes reverse proxy providers, content delivery networks (CDNs), hosting providers, VPNs, and search engines," said MPA.VPNs, DNS services warn against the risk of blocking ordersShort for Domain Name System, a DNS server acts as the Internet phone book by translating users' requests into strings of numbers – IP addresses – to connect them with the right websites on the web. A DNS also plays a key role in how a Content Delivery Network (CDN) works to enable efficient traffic routing and optimize content delivery.A virtual private network (VPN) is a security software that masks users' real IP addresses. While this skill is crucial to bypass strict government-imposed internet restrictions, it can also be used as a workaround to current anti-piracy tactics that involve blocking access to piracy sites based on users' browsing location.This is why, according to the MPA: "Failing to involve these actors undermines the effectiveness of dynamic injunctions, as pirates increasingly rely on them to obscure their infrastructure and evade enforcement."NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN, and CyberGhost have so far been targeted with the blocking order issued by the Paris Judicial Court on May 15, 2025. (Image credit: Future + Photo by MAGALI COHEN/Hans Lucas/AFP; Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)While asking CDN, DNS, and VPNs to block illegal content seems to be the way to go for rights-holders, these providers have been warning that these measures could damage the infrastructure upon which the internet is built on.As a recent report pointed out, in fact, internet blocking can lead to overblocking incidents and internet fragmentation. In Italy, for example, the country's Piracy Shield system caused widespread service outages on other platforms such as Google Drive.This is why, according to leading DNS and CDN provider Cloudflare, "network blocking is never going to be the solution" and suggested we should think of any internet block as internet censorship.Tensions between rights-holders and internet services have now escalated as VPN services enter the fray. As mentioned earlier, a French Court recently ordered five VPN providers to block access to over 200 illegal sports sites. Italy has shared plans to extend anti-piracy obligations to DNS and VPN providers, too.The VPN industry, however, warns that this creates "a dangerous precedent," which could have a chilling effect on all the people using these services to protect their privacy and security.You might also like"A dangerous precedent" – The VPN industry reacts to France’s order to block illegal streaming sitesExperts warn against the risks of growing internet blocking"Network blocking is never going to be the solution" – Cloudflare slams anti-piracy tactics

Sonos is selling a bunch of its speakers at a discount on its own site and Amazon. This includes the well-regarded Era 300 smart speaker, which is down to just $359. That's 20 percent off and notable because this particular speaker rarely goes on sale. It's a Sonos miracle!

The deal applies to both the black and white colorways. The Era 300 is a highly capable device that we praised in our official review, saying that it "sounds excellent." We went on to say that it offers a premium experience that far surpasses other products in the company's lineup, like the Era 100. This is also true when compared to rival speakers like Apple's HomePod.

It's simple to set up and offers the company's proprietary Trueplay tuning system. This feature optimizes the sound of the speaker to the unique acoustics of a room by leveraging an internal microphone. It measures how sound reflects off surfaces and adjusts the EQ to match. It's pretty nifty.

As for connectivity, it can pair with another Era 300 speaker for a true stereo experience. It also includes a Bluetooth receiver and line-in options. Of course, the speaker integrates with just about every streaming music service. The built-in mic also allows for voice assistant control, but only with Siri and Alexa. Google Assistant is left out of the party.

This speaker goes all-in on spatial audio, and the results are mixed. Sometimes it's sublime and sometimes it's kind of eh. This is more of a dig on the technology itself. It has serious potential but is still experiencing growing pains. The only real downside of this speaker is the exorbitant asking price, which has been slightly alleviated by this sale.

As previously mentioned, other Sonos products are available at a discount. This includes the Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar, which is 26 percent off at $369. These deals are available via Sonos itself. There's also an ongoing sale on portable speakers that includes the Move 2 and the Roam 2.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-sonos-era-300-is-on-sale-for-20-percent-off-right-now-150857105.html?src=rss

4K with Dolby Vision, Dolby Audio and AI upscaling1,200 lumens of brightnessLate summer 2025, $1,299Hisense has announced its smallest, lightest and most portable projector yet, the M2 Pro Smart Mini Projector.The M2 Pro is a 4K projector with 1,200 lumens light output (the press release we received says 1,300 lumens, but retailers' listings disagree) and Hisense's AI 4K Clarity, a suite of algorithms that upscale pictures, reduce noise and optimize contrast for HDR. It's capable of projecting 4K visuals from sizes of 65 inches to 200 inches with what Hisense tells us is crystal-clear precision.(Image credit: Hisense)Hisense M2 Pro: key features and pricingThe M2 Pro features Hisense's Pure Triple Color Laser, which uses discrete red, green and blue lasers to deliver a wide color gamut: 110% of the BT.2020 color space. The triple laser system was previously much bigger; Hisense says that its successful miniaturization means that it has made true 4K laser projection "genuinely portable for the first time in Hisense's history."The projector has optical zoom with a 1.0 to 1.3 throw ratio that enables you to adjust image size and distance without degrading image quality, and it's packed with automation to make setup a breeze including wall color adaptation that compensates for the hue of the projection surface.There's built-in Dolby Audio and DTS Virtual:X audio for spatial sound without extra speakers, and the VIDAA Smart OS includes the usual streamers, including Netflix, YouTube and Disney+. The projector also supports the Dolby Vision HDR format.So far, only the US pricing and launch have been announced: it'll sell for $1,299.99 and go on sale in late summer 2025. Other pricing and availability will be announced shortly.You might also likeThe best 4K projector: top home theater beamersThe best projectors, tested and reviewed by our expertsThe best portable projector of 2025