Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Stiffer Penalties for Copyright Violations

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the duck-and-cover dept.

smallfries writes "US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has proposed much harsher punishments for copyright violations, including jail time. The Intellectual Property Protection Act [PDF Warning] doesn't appear to change the fundamentals of US copyright law but does allow more leeway for the police when investigating suspected crimes, and harsher punishments for those convicted. A response with a link to one site's look at the bill is up on Linux Electrons. Now that attempting the crime has such severe consequences, who will be the first to go to jail for running a p2p client?"

5 of 502 comments (clear)

  1. BitTorrent by RequiemX · · Score: 5, Funny

    I use BitTorrent so I KNOW I'm safe...

    1. Re:BitTorrent by straight_up · · Score: 5, Funny

      $sys$torrent would be 100% safe if the RIAA listens to Sony music (and I bet they do)

      --
      Get your $sys$ camo tees now!
  2. Guessing by josephdrivein · · Score: 5, Funny

    who will be the first to go to jail for running a p2p client?

    I hope it will be US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales's daughter. THAT would be real fun.

  3. Copyslaughter by truthsolo · · Score: 5, Funny

    You are under arrest for the copyslaughter of [insert artist name/software title here].

    --
    MTSBWY
  4. Re:It seems to me ... by TheMeuge · · Score: 5, Funny

    New criminal offenses in the US coming in the next 3 years

    1. Copying CDs
    2. Disabling, deleting or avoiding XXAA spyware/zombification tools
    3. Informing others or the press about the time you were taken to Turkey to be tortured.
    4. Knowing the reason why you were taken to Turkey to be tortured.
    5. Abortion
    6. Masturbation
    7. Using condoms or any other means of birth control
    8. Teaching evolution