House OKs copyright czar, new piracy penalties

A bipartisan proposal to create an intellectual-property czar and impose new penalties on pirates sailed through the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday.

By a 410-10 vote, the House approved the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property, or Pro-IP, Act, which is backed by the entertainment industry and other major copyright holders. The proposal is chiefly sponsored by Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Lamar Smith (R-Texas), the chairmen of the House Judiciary Committee.

The bill would rewrite U.S. law to allow federal officials to seize property--including computers or other equipment used to commit intellectual-property crimes or obtained as a result of those proceeds--from people convicted of making unauthorized copies of music, movies, or live performances. In civil cases, federal agents would have to establish that there was a "substantial connection" between the property and the offense.

In addition, the bill would also create a new position, presidentially appointed within the Executive Office of the President, charged with acting as a chief adviser on intellectual-property enforcement matters. The U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Representative, as it would be known, appears to be modeled after the U.S. Trade Representative, which already has some intellectual-property enforcement responsibilities and puts out an annual report on global piracy.

The measure had previously drawn harsh criticism from consumer advocacy groups because of a controversial provision that would have dramatically increased fines in copyright infringement lawsuits. But that section was stripped out during a committee vote, seemingly to avert proposal-killing opposition, though the bill's sponsors said they plan to revisit the issue.

Thursday's vote may have arrived scarcely a week after the House Judiciary Committee lent its backing to the bill, but it seems unlikely to be on a fast track to becoming law, thanks to vocal objections from the Bush administration.

The U.S. Department of Justice has complained that establishing such a new White House-based intellectual-property officer is unnecessary and could undermine its traditional authority in prosecuting copyright cases.

[Pete Bardo]

Why not just call copyright violators terrorists and put them under the jurisdiction of the Department Homeland Security? Why do we need a Czar?

One other thought, why does our government model our official titles after Nazis (Homeland Security) and Russians (Czar)? I find it extremely disturbing.

[WellWhyNot]

Well Pete, if it walks like a Nazi Duck?

Take a good looks at just where we have come in the past few years. Everything we do an see and hear is carefully controlled by a select few.

We are in serious trouble and our forefathers would be mounting a revolution by now. Alas I think most of us have become sheep :)

[Marcus Westrup]

I could so easily go into a Rant over this: Instead I'll just say, that the entertainment industry is digging a very big hole for themselves, and one day they will fall in.
Allowing these groups to dictate new laws is like putting the fox in charge of the hen house.

[cohaver]

If Oboma Wins the Dogs of Hollywood will be taking everyone Computers Raiding homes they will have DEA of Media After you . Wait and See Where all money going for RIAA to Oboma where Hollywood Giving it money to Oboma. Who's Heading the Nazi truck Oboma Supporters

[BunkoSquad]

Are you completely and irretrievably dense and uninformed; or just a troll? Obama is the only one who knows what Net Neutrality is and openly supports it. Hardly a lapdog for the RIAA & Telcos.

[ross613]

I've known for some time that U.S. law enforcement was collectively approaching par with the Gestapo what with the War on Drugs (and other nouns) an' all. But, as my idol Butters would say, "Gee whiz!" are things sure getting outta control south of the 49th!

This habit of throwing people in jail for all eternity over minor and largely victimless infractions of the law is now actually moving past the "crazy" stage into truthfully dangerous territory. If you've got time to read this commentary, then you probably have time to visit Wikipedia and look up the article on the French Revolution. You'd be frightened at just how many historical parallels there are. To my fellow Canadians who might think those who've made posts here about revolution as being a little loony: it's really getting to the point where such a scenario might not be all that far-fetched.

Hopefully the political establishment wakes up from its lobbyist-filled nightmare soon and gets back in touch with those it serves.

[daveavery]

Companies in the software and PC gaming industry have new ammunition in defense against piracy. I am a consultant familiar with software copy protection systems that strike a balance between piracy and user-friendly operation. Uniloc recently began shipping software copy protection software that defends software publisher IP from theft. Maximum Software, a software development firm that focuses on PC software is using SoftAnchor by Uniloc. The technology does allow casual sharing which is important to promote viral product awareness and distribution but can be configured by the software publisher to prevent excessive piracy. Significant in this technology is the ability to quantify software piracy levels and adjust licensing strategies in real-time to set policies addressing casual sharing, open sharing and piracy.