For the last few years, a coalition of technology companies, academics and computer programmers has been trying to persuade Congress to scale back the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
Now Congress is preparing to do precisely the opposite. A proposed copyright law seen by CNET News.com would expand the DMCA's restrictions on software that can bypass copy protections and grant federal police more wiretapping and enforcement powers.
The draft legislation, created by the Bush administration and backed by Rep. Lamar Smith, already enjoys the support of large copyright holders such as the Recording Industry Association of America. Smith, a Texas Republican, is the chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee that oversees intellectual-property law.
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• Permits wiretaps in investigations of copyright crimes, trade secret theft and economic espionage. It would establish a new copyright unit inside the FBI and budgets $20 million on topics including creating "advanced tools of forensic science to investigate" copyright crimes.
• Amends existing law to permit criminal enforcement of copyright violations even if the work was not registered with the U.S. Copyright Office.
• Boosts criminal penalties for copyright infringement originally created by the No Electronic Theft Act of 1997 from five years to 10 years (and 10 years to 20 years for subsequent offenses). The NET Act targets noncommercial piracy including posting copyrighted photos, videos or news articles on a Web site if the value exceeds $1,000.
• Creates civil asset forfeiture penalties for anything used in copyright piracy. Computers or other equipment seized must be "destroyed" or otherwise disposed of, for instance at a government auction. Criminal asset forfeiture will be done following the rules established by federal drug laws.
• Says copyright holders can impound "records documenting the manufacture, sale or receipt of items involved in" infringements.
Thats right. Under the newest legislation, if yer caught downloading child pr0n, it's 7 years in prison. Under this new legislation, if you are caught
attempting to copy a CD, then its 10 years minimum. Thats right, copying a CD will gets you more time that child pr0n.
http://www.ipdemocracy.com/archives/...ice_powers.php
It also allows the government to seize your home, car, and all assets, if you are caught even [b]attempting/b] to cirvumvent any copyright techniques. Oh yeah, the part about the FBI now being able to routinely search your PC, home, and tipe your phone if they think your
attempting to copy a CD is also a new power they are going to give themselves.
And, yes, even posting a copyrighted picture (readin: simpsons, start trek, etc) on yer own personal website can get you arrested and your home seized under this new legislation. The best part, the 'copyrighted' work doesn't even have to be
copyrighted, it just has to be 'deemed' property of a corporation for you to be prosecuted. What exact that entails, I'm not sure, but I'm guessing if a new movie star coins a catch phrase, then repeating it could get you arrested and your assets seized because you try to capitalise on it by registering the domain or writing a song.
Anyone else bothered by this? Oh wait, people here LIKE this type of legislation. I'll sit back now and wait for everyone to tell me how great this new law will be and how they personally look forward to the new regimes enforcement of it.