This cat-and-mouse game has produced what researchers call the "piracy whack-a-mole" effect. Each block temporarily reduces traffic but does not eliminate demand. Moreover, aggressive blocking often drives users toward even less safe, malware-ridden sites. Legitimate services have begun experimenting with "piracy windows"—releasing films on AVOD (ad-supported video on demand) platforms shortly after theatrical runs—to undercut the value proposition of sites like Movies Pk.