George Bush yesterday signed a new federal law that will heighten the penalties for movie and music piracy in the US. The new act includes the creation of a new intellectual property czar who will report directly to the President and advise on copyright issues within the US and on a global level. Perhaps more importantly, the Act expands the criminal laws against piracy and counterfeiting, which is good or bad depending on who you listen to.
Needless to say, record companies, movie studios and TV firms are positive about the new laws, because they hope it will overcome grey areas in existing laws that sometimes offer copyright infringers with useful defences. It may also mean the authorities step in more on infringement cases, saving them the hassle of pursuing expensive civil action. That said, proposals that the Justice Department also coordinate civil actions against alleged infringers were rejected.
Others reckon the new laws go too far though, with US internet user rights body Public Knowledge arguing they give the authorities too wide-a-reaching powers, for example enabling them to cease devices used in even minor cases of piracy. Their spokesman, Art Brodsky, told reporters: "Let's suppose that there's one computer in the house, and one person uses it for downloads and one for homework. The whole computer goes". Brodsky also reckons content owners exaggerated the need for the new laws, saying: "There's already lots and lots of penalties for copyright violations. They've got all the tools they need".