JustWatch removed from Google Brazil search results following judicial error

The streaming guide JustWatch has been removed from Google search results in Brazil since mid-July due to a potential error in a judicial order. The removal is linked to ‘Operation 404’, an anti-piracy initiative coordinated by the Brazilian Ministry of Justice and Public Security following a request from the Civil Police of Pernambuco to block illegal streaming and IPTV services.

JustWatch claims it was mistakenly included in the order, which targets domains similar to or derived from identified pirate sites. The company suggests it may have been confused with illegal services like ‘justwatchhd’, whereas the actual target of the action appears to be a different domain, ‘hdonline’. JustWatch also noted typographical errors in the judicial document, such as misspelling ‘Cloudflare’ as ‘Cloudfare’, as evidence of a technical identification failure.

Co-founder Christoph Hoyer stated that the platform helps users find legal content, and its removal from Google hinders the ability of viewers to locate official streaming options. The company has filed a formal appeal with Google and is communicating with authorities to reverse the decision. In the interim, JustWatch has activated an alternative web address for Brazilian users.