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/newsO...0081013?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

[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.

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).