Bush signs controversial anti-piracy law

[wraggster]

President George W. Bush signed into law on Monday a controversial bill that would stiffen penalties for movie and music piracy at the federal level.

The law creates an intellectual property czar who will report directly to the president on how to better protect copyrights both domestically and internationally. The Justice Department had argued that the creation of this position would undermine its authority.

The law also toughens criminal laws against piracy and counterfeiting, although critics have argued that the measure goes too far and risks punishing people who have not infringed.

The Recording Industry Association of America and Motion Picture Association of America backed the bill, as did the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

"By becoming law, the PRO-IP Act sends the message to IP criminals everywhere that the U.S. will go the extra mile to protect American innovation," said Tom Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Counterfeiting and piracy costs the United States nearly $250 billion annually, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Rick Cotton, general counsel for NBC Universal, said the bill would give movie and music makers more tools to fight what he called a "tidal wave" of counterfeiting and piracy of everything from medical devices to automobile parts to media by organized crime.

"That is at the core of what this discussion is about," he said. "It is not about teenagers."

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE49C7EI20081013?rpc=64

[Airdevil]

$250 billion?

If you went to the "U.S. Chamber of Commerce" and asked how they actually got this figure, and to show actual proof. They would not be able to do it.

[ziegrim]

Waste of time and money...I apologize on the behalf of my Country.

[vicious1988]

American innovation? The last movie I've seen that was actually new was Idiocracy. Everything else is the same formula rehashed.

[royvedas]

$250 billion?

If you went to the "U.S. Chamber of Commerce" and asked how they actually got this figure, and to show actual proof. They would not be able to do it.

Yeah that figure did seem a little odd to me too. They probably think that "criminals" that have 1000's of isos would have bought/could afford alle these games or movies if they weren't able to copy them - sure thing. Please, dear "U.S. Chamber of Commerce" - be realistic.

[shadowriffe]

Well, that's one more reason just to download stuff instead of hosting anything :p

[Uberman]

They sure did that quietly, didn't they? I'm sure the RIAA paid a lot a favors to get the laws they wanted, all the way to the top. America certainly has the best politicians money can buy. :mad:

It's simply idiotic. All that money and time, and they are not going to stop it. It's like the "War on Drugs" -- nothing but bureaucratic propaganda made to get people elected to office. You will never (NEVER) stop illicit drug trafficking unless the drugs are no longer illicit. The same thing with movies/music/etc. This is simply the RIAA "Entertainment Nazis" expanding their power, that's all.

To paraphrase Princess Leia, the more you squeeze, the more rebels you create. So, I encourage everybody to go out and download their favorite movie in celebration of this new legislation. :thumbup:

[trugamer]

$250 billion?

If you went to the "U.S. Chamber of Commerce" and asked how they actually got this figure, and to show actual proof. They would not be able to do it.

Did you miss the news story on here that Ars Technica had proved how ridiculous these figures are? Because you're totally right.

And lol @ "IP criminals"

[goshogun1]

They are really being serious lately. A few weeks ago my Internet got shut off after my ISP was sent a letter by a large film studio. We had to agree with our ISP rep, to never download copyrighted materials etc. I see this as a wakeup call for torrent users. The party had to end some day. I don't really care though, as I could have gotten in more trouble than just a warning. Just got Netflix a week ago so I have no more reason to DL rips anyway.
"That is at the core of what this discussion is about," he said. "It is not about teenagers." LOL. I bet a lot of this piracy is actually being done by tech-savvy teens, not some dvd bootleg mafia.

[fpcreator2000]

Bush is an idiot. And again as one of my countrymen has said earlier, my apologies for my country.

If asked, they probably would bring up figures that would look as shady as the sale's receipt for a brand new car out of a new car dealership.

It just astounds me as to how this man is worried about such matters, than the one that is most important, the economy, but being the fact that the man was elected into office shows how many idiots live in America. (I had the pleasure of not voting for him).

[Spanishpeacock]

Bush is an idiot. And again as one of my countrymen has said earlier, my apologies for my country.

If asked, they probably would bring up figures that would look as shady as the sale's receipt for a brand new car out of a new car dealership.

It just astounds me as to how this man is worried about such matters, than the one that is most important, the economy, but being the fact that the man was elected into office shows how many idiots live in America. (I had the pleasure of not voting for him).

If you remember, he lost the populous vote, it's the idiots in office that kept him in. This whole world is corrupt.

[Justise]

Thanx god I live in Greece. No mater how insane a law is, no one bothers to hunt us here.
Bush is an idiot, but i'm not the one who voted him.

[PoorKingz]

So what should have been done? Lower penalties for piracy?

[havoc_012]

Guess this is priority #1 for the Bush Administration. This, the DMCA, and the Patriot Act. Infringing your liberties in every possible way.

How about saving that money to do some thing more productive, like bringing the troops home?

[pkmaximum]

OMG United States is disappointing me more every day >_>

[gutbub]

Well, I don't disagree with anti-piracy laws. Sure, it sucks, but whatever.
What I do disagree with is the fact that instead of fixing our economy, or finishing a war, the government is more concerned with arresting people committing petty theft.
Good job government, keep the streets clean for real criminals, like murderers and rapists.

[sonofsamus]

Awesome how you guys completely overlook the fact that this already passed in the Senate and House before reaching his desk, but zero right in on Bush. Groupthink FTL. You want change, start voting out the legislators.

[Eviltaco64]

More constriction causes more rebellion, and who are these commoners with a high seat of power to fine me?

Still, people dug their own grave on this one. One pirate could spread the word on to ten more people, who spread it on even more until piracy is hurting companies.

[chuggman]

Let's just add in another 750 billion to our 750 billion dollar bailout package and that should take care of us for the next three years right?!! OR would they just come back for more each month after that squabbling for more money. Will our banks make any better loans after the money is gone?! let us know what you think

[urherenow]

American innovation? The last movie I've seen that was actually new was Idiocracy. Everything else is the same formula rehashed.


1) Then you don't watch enough movies. If you live in another country... then you just admitted that the last original movie you saw was American... so what's your point?

2) We're also talking about music here too. You go ahead and show me a country on this planet that doesn't have music in the Jazz, Rock, Country, Alternative, Rap, R&B, or Hip Hop genres BY or INFLUENCED BY American artists. (not all at once, but at least one of these)

3) I'm not foolish enough to think or say that most things started in America but there are far too many things that originated here that people don't realize. Mostly because other countries ripped us off and did things either cheaper, better, or both... but still... give America at least a tad bit of freakin' credit here!

Take the Television remote control for instance. Nearly every modern household in the world has one (or several). Zenith Electronics, Chicago, Il.

Err... nevermind that one.. how about: the Artificial Heart, the Light Bulb, the Sewing Machine, and the COMPUTER!

[jamotto]

the Sewing Machine, and the COMPUTER!

Where French and British inventions respectively.

[____anders____]

recording companies can't do anything about it.. never

they will lose the war no matter what they do

[trugamer]

Where French and British inventions respectively.
Isn't there a bit of confusion about the first computer, I've heard loads of stories about who invented the first computer, the earliest (I've heard of) being the Germans during the Second World War.

I've also heard that Babbage's mechanical thing counts as the first computer.

Can anyone clear up this confusion?

[davidcrew]

Well I think the argument for piracy is simply that we have been disappointed several times with the quality of products emerging from the music industry and movie industry.

Prices for a CD before piracy were ridiculous, especially when 90% of the time, only two tracks tops were good and the other bunch were just formulaic pieces of shit. If they focused on quality instead of quantity, they may convince people to stop pirating their shit. Look up Deltron 3030 (or Del the Funky Homosapien) and other bands that do not get a lot of attention but could run circles around mainstream artists that like their Rolls-Royce and their fancy watches.

Movies are the same deal. How many revamped movies have you seen look like crap? The new indiana jones movie was madness, SAW is just the same horror gore nonsense over and over, and for everything else, everyone copies themes from the Twilight Zone or Alfred Hitchcock.

American innovation may have been in the past, but it's mostly about doing the same thing over and over. Just look at how many fps games there are, and what, how many stupid EA revisions that come out every year that are just the same game with different stats?

Ridiculous.

This bill won't do anything, people will continue to do it, and $250 billion is exaggerated. Change those things about your music and movies, and maybe people won't pirate.

[gamev8]

I've also heard that Babbage's mechanical thing counts as the first computer.
Babbage's difference engine would have been the first computer but he never built it I was lucky enough to see the one they made for Nathan Myhrvold (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Myhrvold) at the Computer History Museum (http://www.computerhistory.org/) in Mountain View California and I must say it was beautiful.

[Uberman]

So what should have been done? Lower penalties for piracy?

How about stimulating sales by substantially lowering prices on DVDs?

How about making movies that are worth owning on DVD, or watching on PPV? I'm not about to give them money for a remake of a movie that came out only two years earlier, about The Incredible Hulk. Do they actually expect to be rewarded for that?

How about putting cheap HiDef into homes? Blu-ray players are still hundreds of dollars, Blu-ray movies are still $30-$50US.

There's lots that can be done to curtail the flow of copyright violation. The RIAA isn't interested in it. They'd rather lobby to get laws passed to force you to purchase their lukewarm crap than actually compete in the market.