Italy's communications regulator, AGCOM, has fined Cloudflare a record €14 million for refusing to block access to pirate streaming sites via its public 1.1.1.1 DNS service. This unprecedented ruling asserts that DNS resolvers must act as internet gatekeepers, a stance Cloudflare strongly disputes, arguing that DNS is merely a directory, not a content carrier. The company contends that such a mandate is technically unfeasible and violates fundamental internet principles.

This decision sets a alarming precedent for digital privacy and the future of DNS services, potentially forcing providers to implement censorship, which could compromise the open and neutral nature of the internet and threaten user privacy globally.