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[Lkr]

While they may never be able to truly defeat piracy and drive it from the lurking depths of the internet, copyright protection attack-dog organizations like the RIAA and MPAA have long dreamed of the day when they would no longer have to pay for their own copyright enforcement. Now that dream is on the verge of coming true, thanks to the Obama administration.

After countless lobbyist dollars from the music and film industry and a brief "public review", the administration rolled out its vision to fight piracy yesterday afternoon. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden -- whose blunt speech has sometime left him in trouble -- did not mince words.

He states, "This is theft, clear and simple. It's smash and grab, no different than a guy walking down Fifth Avenue and smashing the window at Tiffany's and reaching in and grabbing what's in the window."

The sound-byte comparing downloads to stealing jewels from New York City's finest jeweler quickly lit up the web. Bob Pisano, interim chief executive officer at the Motion Picture Association of America praised the VP, "It is especially critical that the United States has an effective framework for protecting creative content online and enforcing intellectual property rights in the digital environment."

According to the Obama administration, the RIAA, and MPAA, the world economy is pretty much doomed if we don't start prosecuting pirates at home and abroad. Without such a crackdown, businesses will go bankrupt the coalition argues. Biden states, "Piracy hurts, it hurts our economy."

Interestingly, the statements seem to fly in the face of a recent Government Accountability Office study released to U.S. Congress earlier this year, which concluded that there is virtually no evidence for the claimed million dollar losses by the entertainment industry. That study suggested that piracy could even benefit the economy.

Another noteworthy study from three years back notes that virtually every citizen violates intellectual property laws in some way on a daily basis.

The White House press release was full of buzz phrases, but short on details. It did however indicate that the U.S. government may increasingly monitor filesharing networks and BitTorrent sites and assist media groups in their prosecution/threat letter efforts. It speaks of improved "law enforcement efforts at the Federal, state and local level."

The biggest effort, though, will be devoted to cracking down on piracy websites in the U.S. and overseas. The administration was short on details of how exactly it would convince piracy-loving nations like China to change their ways, but it did say it would try to do so by "being as public as we possibly can" about infringement.

The press release states, "As we shine the spotlight on foreign governments that have rogue actors doing illicit business within their borders, it's the government's responsibility to respond."

Such efforts have shown mild success. After lots of threats against the Swedish government by the U.S., the European Union nation finally tried admins with the nation's largest torrent site The Pirate Bay last year and found them guilty. The trial was later exposed to be a perversion of the justice system, with the judge who gave the verdict have multiple ties to copyright protection organizations. The verdict -- $3M USD in damages and a year of hard prison time for the admins -- is currently being appealed.

The White House's vision is perhaps a prelude to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, which will go before Congress later this year. The bill would make P2P or BitTorrent client development a criminal offense if the distributed software was used for infringement. It also implements an interesting provision called "imminent infringement", which allows the government to charge people who they think might be about to infringe with a civil offense (for example if you searched "torrent daft punk"). This is among the first official "thought crime" provisions to be proposed by the U.S. government. The bill also makes it a criminal offense to bypass DRM.

Ultimately, it should be interesting to see how American taxpayers react to President Obama's decision to spend their money on efforts to prosecute them and try to choke out piracy at home and abroad, particularly when the current evidence is inconclusive of its effects. One thing's for sure, though. Top politicians on both sides of the aisle are firmly behind the music and movie industry anti-piracy and money-collection efforts.

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=18815

Didn't see it on the google search for gaf

 

[StriKeVillain]

bailout.gif

 

[Eteric Rice]

You've gotta be joking.

 

[WanderingWind]

Another noteworthy study from three years back notes that virtually every citizen violates intellectual property laws in some way on a daily basis.

So, where is the support for this coming from?

 

[Technosteve]

fuck time to flush my torrents down the drain. Mother fucking fascists priate party for life.

 

[Metalic Sand]

Wow at bypassing DRM as a offense.

 

[SimpleDesign]

It's good to see Obama has his priorities straight.

 

[Fox318]

You've gotta be joking.

Obama does get a lot of money from Hollywood.

 

[alr1ght]

He states, "This is theft, clear and simple. It's smash and grab, no different than a guy walking down Fifth Avenue and smashing the window at Tiffany's and reaching in and grabbing what's in the window."

downloading car, etc etc

 

[MIMIC]

Imminent infringement? Did Bush come up with that one?

 

[neoanarch]

Ridiculous. Also highly unenforceable. Unless they charge everyone in the US.

 

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

Another noteworthy study from three years back notes that virtually every citizen violates intellectual property laws in some way on a daily basis.

So, where is the support for this coming from?

The Jews, we steal, but we don't like others to steal our products.

 

[Lkr]

downloading car, etc etc

would you download diamonds?:lol :lol

 

[Empty]

Another noteworthy study from three years back notes that virtually every citizen violates intellectual property laws in some way on a daily basis.

So, where is the support for this coming from?

those few people who have the money to fund politicians' election campaigns, that happen to reckon that they would get even more money with tougher laws.

democracy in action!

 

[xelios]

Obama is more useless than I ever expected. Wasted vote. Won't happen again!

 

[DeathbyVolcano]

lol at people getting angry at this. Fighting piracy is going to be a Washington staple for another 20-30 years, maybe longer. Don't act like Obama was going to spread his Jesus juice over this area, NO politician would.

 

[Srsly]

The Jews, we steal, but we don't like others to steal our products.

WTF?

 

[Koomaster]

When should we expect visits from the thoughtpolice?

 

[Ulairi]

Damn George Bush going after American citizens!

 

[threenote]

Just some hot air from a buffoon.

 

[Blader]

"Thought crime provisions"?

 

[SapientWolf]

If their draconian laws pass and music sales continue dropping then who are they going to blame?

 

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

WTF?

Jews run Hollywood, lust for money, and have no scruples. I'm just parodying Jewish stereotypes morons belief (I'm also Jewish).

 

[lordoftherink]

nvm

 

[fse]

Yes We Can!:lol

 

[Hasphat'sAnts]

So I can't develop any technology that could in theory be used for piracy even though it's not my original intent?

I'd imagine the gun lobby wouldn't be okay with this kind of logic.

 

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

would you download diamonds?:lol :lol

Are we talking 1:1 or downscaled?

 

[WanderingWind]

Jews run Hollywood, lust for money, and have no scruples. I'm just parodying Jewish stereotypes morons belief (I'm also Jewish).

But....I like bagels and Adam Sandler?

 

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

But....I like bagels and Adam Sandler?

Well you're also a Marine, so you have good taste (well with the former)

 

[DeathbyVolcano]

Yes We Can!:lol

Obama has always been an outspoken opponent of piracy. People who voted for him who didn't know that? Stupid.

 

[Agnostic]

This is bullshit! Where will I be able to steal from?

 

[SimpleDesign]

So I can't develop any technology that could in theory be used for piracy even though it's not my original intent?

I'd imagine the gun lobby wouldn't be okay with this kind of logic.

The gun lobby and it's members have guns though.

 

[MattyGrovesOrMe]

Wow at bypassing DRM as a offense.

Isn't this technically already illegal in the US, has been since 1998.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Millennium_Copyright_Act

Another noteworthy study from three years back notes that virtually every citizen violates intellectual property laws in some way on a daily basis.

Many GAF avatars are technically copyright infringements, so are scans of magazine articles (which GAF punishes) and the copying/pasting full text of articles other websites not licensed under CC/GNU (which GAF doesn't punish but should).

 

[tirminyl]

So is this to ban Top Gear for the American version?

 

[WanderingWind]

Well you're also a Marine, so you have good taste (well with the former)

Hey! The Waterboy is classic! :lol

 

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

The gun lobby and it's members have guns though.

You know people could start using Republicans to oppose this on the LIBERAL ASSAULT on personal freedoms (and it is an assault on freedoms). Yeah, it may feel awkward, but use them son of bitches like no tomorrow.

Hey! The Waterboy is classic! :lol

Okay, Pre-2000 period is fine.

 

[WanderingWind]

Obama has always been an outspoken opponent of piracy. People who voted for him who didn't know that? Stupid.

Shh. Don't worry him with those little concerns. He probably thinks he also promised to end all wars and make pot legal. Let him dream.

 

[cubicle47b]

You know people could start using Republicans to oppose this on the LIBERAL ASSAULT on personal freedoms (and it is an assault on freedoms). Yeah, it may feel awkward, but use them son of bitches like no tomorrow.

We don't like them either. I think I'll side with batshit insane libertarians but make fun of them the entire time.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

then the music companies win again.

have you ever noticed how the price of CDs in general has remained the same? It's not even like they tried going down in price to make an album more worth peoples money. they have just been running a long marathon. they made so much money during the 90s on CD. When napster came out, it was a result of them not being willing to offer a better deal... they where to greedy and blindsided by their success.

napster was a product of that. since then they have just been running at the gates not giving in to anything.


Are we really going to get them get away with this? fffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

 

[Tim the Wiz]

Very disappointing. The RIAA and MPAA seem to have got their money's worth, though. I wonder what they're going to do when they see such action having minimal effect. Digital distribution is the future.

It's good to see Obama has his priorities straight.

.

 

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

We don't like them either. I think I'll side with batshit insane libertarians but make fun of them the entire time.

Yeah, but no one is going to actually vote for Non-Republican batshit crazy libertarians, we need to exploit useful people!

 

[SapientWolf]

Very disappointing. The RIAA and MPAA seem to have got there money's worth, though. I wonder what they're going to do when they see such action having minimal effect. Digital distribution is the future.



.

After their piracy crackdown fails to generate sales, I see the music industry getting desperate and finally forcing everyone, including the giant payola party they call the radio, to pay ridiculous royalties. This will force people towards alternative sources for free music like indie internet radio. These dinosaurs are orchestrating their own extinction and they don't even realize it.

 

[DeathbyVolcano]

Very disappointing. The RIAA and MPAA seem to have got there money's worth, though. I wonder what they're going to do when they see such action having minimal effect. Digital distribution is the future.



.

When all other options are exhausted, we'll finally get some progress on copyright reform. But that'll take years.

 

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

Shh. Don't worry him with those little concerns. He probably thinks he also promised to end all wars and make pot legal. Let him dream.

You have no idea how much Obama's use of the drone program makes me happy (cause it's right) and the fun I get from "Useless Liberals" who it make nuts.

 

[smurfx]

Yes We Can!:lol

not do anything real americans care about but everything corporations do! can't wait for him to be voted out in 2012 and go down as a 1 term loser.

 

[JBaird]

Socialism at it's finest.

 

[Fusebox]

Chocolate Jesus is melting under the heat.

 

[Burger]

While we are living in some sort of fantasy land, they should make people who are about to commit thought crimes participate in some sort of TV game show gauntlet where they have to run from psychotic murders.

 

[Servizio]

According to the Obama administration, the RIAA, and MPAA, the world economy is pretty much doomed if we don't start prosecuting pirates at home and abroad. Without such a crackdown, businesses will go bankrupt the coalition argues. Biden states, "Piracy hurts, it hurts our economy."

 

[diehard]

I miss Bush.