Hollywood Studios Target US Pirate IPTV Services Outer Limits, Shrugs, and Zing with Legal Action

• ACE filed a lawsuit against the operator of pirate platforms Beast Mode Live, BTV, and Viking Media, later rebranded.
• A second lawsuit targets the Outer Limits operator, who is accused of providing pirate IPTV subscriptions.
• Both cases accuse the defendants of copyright infringement on a massive scale, with potential damages amounting to millions of dollars.

The operators of Outer Limits IPTV and the rebranded Shrugs and Zing U.S. pirate IPTV services are targeted with legal action by members of the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE).

ACE, a coalition of major Hollywood studios and streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon, filed lawsuits against two operators in an ongoing battle against piracy that threatens the multi-billion-dollar entertainment industry.

The first lawsuit, filed in Pennsylvania, concerns Brandon Weibley, a Mechanicsburg resident accused of running various illegal IPTV services since 2017. 

He allegedly operated platforms such as Beast Mode Live, BTV, and Viking Media, offering access to thousands of pirated TV channels and live sports events.

Although Hollywood Studios issued a cease-and-desist notice to Weibley in late 2023, he reportedly continued operations under new domains, ultimately rebranding his services as Shrugs and Zing.

These granted subscribers access to over 9,000 pirated channels, distributing copyrighted content such as The Witcher, Forrest Gump, and Moana.  

The lawsuit cites more than 50 violations of copyright law, with potential damages amounting to millions of dollars. Plaintiffs have requested an injunction to shut down the services and seek compensation for the alleged infringements.

A parallel lawsuit was filed in California against Zachary DeBarr, operator of Outer Limits IPTV. According to the complaint, DeBarr provided subscriptions ranging from $20 per month to $200 annually, offering over 4,000 live channels and an on-demand library featuring more than 13,000 movies and 3,000 TV series. 

The lawsuit also alleges that DeBarr used his popular iTrustStream YouTube channel, with over 100,000 subscribers, to promote Outer Limits IPTV. Despite multiple attempts to resolve the matter out of court, DeBarr reportedly failed to respond to communications, prompting Hollywood studios to escalate the case.