Montevideo, Nov 3 (EFE; additional reporting by The Costa Rica Star).- Uruguay’s Anti-Piracy Association has sued Cuevana, an Argentine Web site that allows users to watch television series and movies for free, to prevent access to its content in Uruguay.

“The rest of the world can do whatever they think is necessary, but in Uruguay it shouldn’t be accessible,” the association’s president, Fernando Couto, told EFE. “It is a matter of territoriality.”

The lawsuit targeting Cuevana, the first in Uruguay against a foreign Web site, has already been accepted by a Montevideo court, which set a hearing on Nov. 13.

“There is a presumption of the site’s illegitimacy, since downloading a movie is already a presumptive illegitimate action,” Couto said.

Cuevana, established in 2009, lets users watch content online by streaming it without the need for a download, and it has become one of the most visited and popular sites in Argentina and neighboring countries. EFE

In Costa Rica, Cuevana is a popular streaming option that has increased in use since Popcorn Time, a legendary BitTorrent enhancement, was recently discontinued.

Cuevana is as popular as Netflix in Costa Rica, and this is a trend that television and Internet providers such as Claro and Tigo are paying close attention to. Both Tigo and Claro now offer streaming apps to their subscribers, who are often reminded that services such as Cuevana may incite copyright infringement.