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New Legislation Would Crack Down On Online Piracy

GovTechGuy writes "Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee unveiled new legislation to combat online piracy on Monday that gives the Department of Justice more power to shut down websites trafficking in pirated movies, films or counterfeit goods. The new bill would give the government the authority to shut down the sites with a court order; the site owner would have to petition the court to have it lifted. The judge would have final say over whether a site should be shut down or not. Business groups including the US Chamber of Commerce hailed the legislation as a huge step forward."

8 of 350 comments (clear)

  1. Bye Bye EBAY by vlm · · Score: 4, Funny

    shut down websites trafficking in ... counterfeit goods

    Bye Bye EBAY, and good riddance

    --
    "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
    1. Re:Bye Bye EBAY by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Since it's not even a law, obviously, there is no evidence to support any of the GP's claims. And yes, it's just paranoia. You can trust the government. It has never let you down, right? Any dissenters should be put in jail anyways.

    2. Re:Bye Bye EBAY by c6gunner · · Score: 2, Funny

      Do you have any evidence of this?

      You must be new here ....

  2. You don't understand a thing. by www.sorehands.com · · Score: 4, Funny

    The MPAA, RIAA, and DMA have bought laws.

    Don't you think that they have a right to expect a fair value for the legislators that they buy?

    What good is buying a congressperson if you can't get the laws you want written the way you want?

    1. Re:You don't understand a thing. by siddesu · · Score: 4, Funny

      Your question is rhetorical, but let me bite.

      This is happening because enforcing civil law on behalf of the Hungry Artists is a costly and difficult exercise in the US.

      Especially so since you have evil commies like our resident slashdotter lawyer, who is destroying business value by promoting socialist ideas like fair use, copyright limits and the like on his blog.

      Dumping the enforcement on the government has benefits for all involved.

      It is good for the companies -- they get to save some extra buck on prosecution and enforcement, and face significantly lower legal risks while protecting their valuable business model (which benefits the shareholders, and our great capitalist society).

      It is good for the government -- with little cooperation from the interested parties, they get a nice tool for shooting things on the web they don't like.

      It is good for the consumer -- for access to unapproved, and potentially dangerous and unlawful content is restricted.

      Finally, since this will obviously help combat child porn and drug abuse, it is good for the future of this great nation. Why don't you think of the children?

      No matter how I look at it, this is a beneficial measure for everyone except the few Communist slashdotters who abuse the internet to steal from our creative industry.

  3. Good question by spun · · Score: 3, Funny

    Is it piracy if you NEVER would have bought it to begin with
    If it is free i might download it but at $30 to $50 i would NEVER even think of buying it
    If there was NO loss of cash is it piracy

    Is it piracy if you board another ship at sea while hoisting the jolly roger, wearing a wooden leg, sporting a parrot on one shoulder and demanding chests full of gold doubloons?
    Is it piracy if they don't have any doubloons?
    Is it piracy if you then ravish their women? What if you don't exactly ravish them, but merely rip their bodices, accidentally exposing their heaving bosoms?
    How fast must a bosom be moving in order to be considered "heaving?"

    --
    - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
  4. Re:Governmental Takeover? by jewishbaconzombies · · Score: 4, Funny

    Just plant child porn. He'll be sharing a cell quicker than you can say "club fed".

  5. Hooray! by Teun · · Score: 2, Funny

    Finally we'll again get good movies and music, just like it used to be before the market collapsed due to piracy.

    --
    "The likes of Facebook and WhatsApp are free to those whose privacy is of zero value."