Authorities in China have launched a criminal investigation into the suspected operator of Bato.to, a prominent manga piracy website. The inquiry follows a complaint filed by CODA, an anti-piracy organization representing five major manga publishers. The investigation included a raid conducted in China last November.
Bato.to, along with other sites such as MangaPark, is accused of distributing unauthorized copies of manga titles. CODA’s efforts to combat piracy have targeted these platforms to protect the rights of content creators and publishers.
**Why this matters**
Piracy sites like Bato.to undermine the manga industry by distributing copyrighted content without permission, affecting publishers’ revenues and creators’ livelihoods. The investigation signals increased enforcement against online piracy and highlights ongoing efforts by rights holders to safeguard intellectual property.
Source: News Source