phrelin
10-28-11, 12:02 AM
World wide content piracy is a problem. But so is Congress.
From Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/sites/garyshapiro/2011/10/26/dont-let-hollywood-break-the-internet-with-the-protect-ip-act/): ...The PROTECT IP Act would allow copyright owners – movie studios and other content providers – simply to accuse a website of infringement, which could lead to that site being shut down by court order and entire links to the site being wiped clean from the Internet. Any website with a hyperlink, such as Twitter, Facebook or a blog, would be subject to liability. More, non-infringing sites could be inadvertently shut down under the proposal. Indeed, the law is so far-reaching that it would force Internet providers like Comcast to block all access to the allegedly illegal site.
The potential for abuse by the notoriously litigious content industry is clear. Last year, when the government sought to shut down one child pornography site, it ended up affecting some 70,000 legitimate sites for several days, even notifying visitors that the sites – many of which were business sites – were purveyors of child pornography.
For instance, the bill is so broadly written that, in theory, it would allow any copyright owner to shut down a legitimate retail website, such as Amazon or Best Buy, by alleging that one product being sold on the site could “enable or facilitate” an infringement. It could even allow any content owner to block access to the Patent Office website if it receives and posts a patent application for a product that is believed to use content without permission.From SiliconValley.com (http://blogs.siliconvalley.com/gmsv/2011/10/tech-and-policy-copyright-fight-google-and-governments.html): The copyright fight is heating up as opponents of a soon-to-be-unveiled bill on intellectual property ramp up their efforts. According to NetCoalition, a group of tech companies that includes Google, Yahoo, eBay and Amazon.com, the legislation, which could reportedly be introduced as soon as today, would “hurt economic growth and chill innovation.”
The bill would be the House version of the PROTECT IP Act, which was introduced earlier this year by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah....
...Also speaking out against PROTECT IP and whatever version is introduced in the House is the president of Consumer Electronics Association, a coalition with thousands of company members....In case you didn't notice, when it comes to media interests and protecting their rights by abusing yours, the lefty producer/director/actor interests break out Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. and the corporate right interests Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.
It is always amazing when it comes down to money trampling over the rights ordinary folks, politicians from both the left and right seem to side with money. Unfortunately, monied interests on the other side - Google, Yahoo, eBay and Amazon.com - woke up to the threat late in the game.
After reviewing the proposed overkill, as an interested citizen and voter you may want to drop your Senators and Representative a note.
From Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/sites/garyshapiro/2011/10/26/dont-let-hollywood-break-the-internet-with-the-protect-ip-act/): ...The PROTECT IP Act would allow copyright owners – movie studios and other content providers – simply to accuse a website of infringement, which could lead to that site being shut down by court order and entire links to the site being wiped clean from the Internet. Any website with a hyperlink, such as Twitter, Facebook or a blog, would be subject to liability. More, non-infringing sites could be inadvertently shut down under the proposal. Indeed, the law is so far-reaching that it would force Internet providers like Comcast to block all access to the allegedly illegal site.
The potential for abuse by the notoriously litigious content industry is clear. Last year, when the government sought to shut down one child pornography site, it ended up affecting some 70,000 legitimate sites for several days, even notifying visitors that the sites – many of which were business sites – were purveyors of child pornography.
For instance, the bill is so broadly written that, in theory, it would allow any copyright owner to shut down a legitimate retail website, such as Amazon or Best Buy, by alleging that one product being sold on the site could “enable or facilitate” an infringement. It could even allow any content owner to block access to the Patent Office website if it receives and posts a patent application for a product that is believed to use content without permission.From SiliconValley.com (http://blogs.siliconvalley.com/gmsv/2011/10/tech-and-policy-copyright-fight-google-and-governments.html): The copyright fight is heating up as opponents of a soon-to-be-unveiled bill on intellectual property ramp up their efforts. According to NetCoalition, a group of tech companies that includes Google, Yahoo, eBay and Amazon.com, the legislation, which could reportedly be introduced as soon as today, would “hurt economic growth and chill innovation.”
The bill would be the House version of the PROTECT IP Act, which was introduced earlier this year by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah....
...Also speaking out against PROTECT IP and whatever version is introduced in the House is the president of Consumer Electronics Association, a coalition with thousands of company members....In case you didn't notice, when it comes to media interests and protecting their rights by abusing yours, the lefty producer/director/actor interests break out Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. and the corporate right interests Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.
It is always amazing when it comes down to money trampling over the rights ordinary folks, politicians from both the left and right seem to side with money. Unfortunately, monied interests on the other side - Google, Yahoo, eBay and Amazon.com - woke up to the threat late in the game.
After reviewing the proposed overkill, as an interested citizen and voter you may want to drop your Senators and Representative a note.