Stiffer Penalties for Copyright Violations

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?"

Comments

A dual edged sword

[Registered Coward v2]

Remember - the law is a neutral weapon - much like a landmind. It can be used against friend and foe alike. The key is to see how a law can help your cause - even if taht was not the original intent.

The proposed law adds a new weapon against someone who violate Linux' EULA - and now makes it a criminal action to even try to violate it.

Think of the law a giant real world RPG - you need to understand teh rules and bend them to your ends.

Hate to burst your bubble

[commodoresloat]

But unfortunately copyright is already criminal law. This doesn't call for such a fundamental change; it just calls for harsher penalties.

Corrupt System

[max born]

I could almost support this bill if it wan't that the entertainment industry openly bribes the senators who'll vote on this legislation, example, Orin Hatch, entertainment contributions for the 2004 cycle were $180,000+.

If you follow the trail it looks like most of this kind of legislation is bought and paid for by the very people it benefits.

Alberto Gonzales vs. Porn

[werewolf1031]

Let's not also forget Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' hardline stance against porn depicting consenting adults as well. This is someone who is clearly the most dangerous man for the job.

And I'm speaking as a moderate conservative. This guy scares the shit outa me.

Crime

[Mark_MF-WN]

You can't settle a criminal suit out of court.

Re:BitTorrent

[shanen]

That is an example of the abuse of copyright. That has come about because the publishing industry has been lobbying for decades to twist the laws that implement the originally good idea. Their motivation is not the public's interests, but merely to maximize their own profits. They have been sadly effective.

Amazingly enough, they can now sue you for derivative works--and even though Mickey Mouse was a derivative work in the first place.

Re:BitTorrent

[grmoc]

Copyright was created to foster the creation of works, so as to create a larger body of works available to the commons..

Currently, 70 years plus life of author is effectively forever as most people would be dead before the copyright expires on anything created today. This is contrary to the original intent. I believe the original intent is laudable, and the current regime of copyright control is draconian, and actually prevents the creation of new and interesting works in many cases-- Remix works, where people look to other works as the instruments on which they play, are something that are a major part of todays creative culture, and yet, these are difficult to create legally.