Every Major Anime Piracy Site to Shut Down in 2026 (So Far); CBR, September 25, 2026

 Ami Nazru, CBR; Every Major Anime Piracy Site to Shut Down in 2026 (So Far)

"Online piracy is hydra-headed -- shut down one domain, and several alternatives emerge to replace it. For years, viewers have relied on this logic to brush off copyright crackdowns as minor disruptions, believing that their favorite anime streaming portals won’t stay missing for long.

While that pattern held true for years, 2026 saw the smooth-sailing ecosystem get rocked as rights holders brought down the hammer against some of the largest illegal anime streaming websites across the globe.

Unbeknownst to fans, piracy watchdogs applied sustained legal pressure behind the scenes to target even the backend structure of these sites. What began as a whack-a-mole operation had now snowballed into a coordinated effort that dismantled and cut off these networks from their audience."

A24 Addresses Copyright Strikes on Backrooms Fan Art After Director Kane Parsons Promises to Investigate; IGN, July 17, 2026

 VIRGINIA GLAZE, IGN; A24 Addresses Copyright Strikes on Backrooms Fan Art After Director Kane Parsons Promises to Investigate

'We will continue to support the artists.'

"A24 has issued a statement clarifying the numerous takedown notices filed on behalf of its brand after Backrooms director Kane Parsons promised he’d investigate.

A24 published their statement via Instagram on July 17, just two days after Parsons responded to a Reddit post from a user claiming their wallpaper pattern had been pulled from Redbubble over copyright infringement."

Fans value ethics over innovation at AI hologram concerts, new study finds; Phys.org, March 3, 2026

 University of South Florida , Phys.org; Fans value ethics over innovation at AI hologram concerts, new study finds

"The recent success of the ABBA Voyage virtual reunion tour and the Tupac hologram at Coachella show how audiences embrace these performances as opportunities to relive shared cultural milestones.

However, little is known about how consumers perceive the uniqueness, nostalgia and ethicality of holographic AI concerts, and how these perceptions translate into emotional and social values.

"Ethics is not optional—it's definitely strategic," said researcher Seden Dogan, assistant professor of instruction in the USF School of Hospitality and Sport Management. "When using technologies like holograms or AI to recreate past artists, ethical responsibility matters more than novelty alone."

Dogan is the lead author of the paper, "Reviving legends through holographic AI event experiences: Consumer acceptance and value insights," recently published in the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.

"Audiences care more about whether the holographic performance felt respectful and morally appropriate than about how innovative or memory-evoking it was," Dogan said."