The Brazilian Film Agency issues Normative Instruction establishing procedures to combat audiovisual piracy in the digital environment

The Brazilian Film Agency issues Normative Instruction establishing procedures to combat audiovisual piracy in the digital environment

On April 10, 2026, the Brazilian Film Agency (ANCINE) published, in the Official Gazette, Normative Instruction No. 174, which establishes the rules for the submission, receipt, and processing, by the Agency, of complaints regarding the unauthorized offering of protected audiovisual content in the digital environment.

The Instruction implements Article 3 of Law No. 14.815/2024, which granted ANCINE the authority to administratively order the suspension and cessation of unauthorized use of audiovisual works. With the publication of Normative Instruction Normative Instruction No. 174 establishes an administrative procedural framework that encompasses everything from the admissibility of complaints to the applicable containment measures.

Two procedures are provided for complaints, determined according to the profile of the infringer. The first applies to services whose main activity is the unauthorized offering of protected content. In these cases, ANCINE has up to 30 business days to assess the complaint and, if admitted, notifies the party responsible, who has 48 hours to remove the content or file a counter-notice. If there is no response, the Agency may resort to a broad set of enforcement measures, including the blocking of domains, IP addresses, and URLs, the cutting off of access to electronic payment methods, the request for de-indexing from search engines and, where there is evidence of criminal conduct, referral to the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Judicial Police.

The second procedure applies to the offering of protected content on regularly established platforms and intermediaries that have structured mechanisms for receiving complaints. In these cases, the rights holder is required to attempt to resolve the matter directly with the platform before approaching ANCINE. The platform then has ten days to remove the content or file a counter-notice — failing which ANCINE may pursue judicial measures and open an administrative proceeding to investigate and apply appropriate sanctions.

Also noteworthy is the special treatment afforded to live broadcasts, such as sporting events and cultural performances, enabling real-time dynamic blocking. Under §2 of Article 4, holders of commercial exploitation rights may notify ANCINE in advance of the date and time of a broadcast, pre-qualifying to submit complaints simultaneously with the transmission, with the ordinary review period waived.

In addition, ANCINE is authorized to act on its own initiative in investigating copyright violations, from the initiation to the conduct of the administrative proceedings. This means that, once a potential violation is identified, the Agency may act independently of any complaint from rights holders, subject to the principles of due process, proportionality, and reasoned decision-making.

The publication of Normative Instruction No. 174 represents a significant step forward in the protection of copyright in the Brazilian digital environment, equipping ANCINE with agile administrative tools to tackle audiovisual piracy. By providing greater legal certainty for producers, distributors, and other rights holders, the Instruction contributes to strengthening the creative economy ecosystem in the country.

The full text of Normative Instruction No. 174 is available at: Instrução Normativa nº 174/2026.

The full text of Law No. 14.815/24 is available at: L14815.

Note: For quick release, this English version is provided by automated translation without human review.