Bill Would Put Internet Song Swappers in Jail

Reuters via Yahoo ^ | 7/17/03

[I_Love_My_Husband]

http://au.news.yahoo.com//030717/11/kvue.html

Thursday July 17, 11:15 AM

Bill Would Put Internet Song Swappers in Jail

Internet users who allow others to copy songs from their hard drives could face prison time under legislation introduced by two Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday.

The bill is the strongest attempt yet to deter the widespread online song copying that recording companies say has led to a decline in CD sales.

Sponsored by Michigan Rep. John Conyers and California Rep. Howard Berman, the bill would make it easier to slap criminal charges on Internet users who copy music, movies and other copyrighted files over "peer-to-peer" networks.

The recording industry has aggressively pursued Napster, Kazaa and other peer-to-peer networks in court and recently announced it planned to sue individual users as well.

In a series of hearings on Capitol Hill last spring, lawmakers condemned online song swapping and expressed concern the networks could spread computer viruses, create government security risks and allow children access to pornography.

Few online copyright violators have faced criminal charges so far. A New Jersey man pleaded guilty to distributing a digital copy of the movie "The Hulk" in federal court three weeks ago, but the Justice Department has not taken action against Internet users who offer millions of copies of songs each day.

The Conyers-Berman bill would operate under the assumption that each copyrighted work made available through a computer network was copied by others at least 10 times for a total retail value of $2,500. That would bump the activity from a misdemeanor to a felony, carrying a sentence of up to five years in jail.

It would also outlaw the practice of videotaping a movie in the theater, a favorite illicit method of copying movies.

"While existing laws have been useful in stemming this problem, they simply do not go far enough," said Conyers, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee.

The Recording Industry Association of America praised the bill and said it would help them fight illegal online copying.

One copyright expert said the bill paints online song-swapping with too broad a brush as much of that activity does not rise to a criminal level.

"We don't think it should be the role of the FBI to treat all copyright infringement as criminal," said Mike Godwin, staff counsel at Public Sector, a nonprofit group that frequently disagrees with the RIAA.

A Conyers staffer said the bill had won the backing of many Democrats but Republicans had yet to endorse it.

The staffer said backers hoped to discuss the bill at a hearing on Thursday and combine it next week with another sponsored by Texas Republican Rep. Lamar Smith, who chairs an intellectual-property subcommittee.

"Once we have the opportunity to analyze the bill language we will be able to determine how it affects our fight against piracy," a Smith spokesman said in an e-mail message.

[DPB101]

a sentence of up to five years in jail.

Ten years for rap.

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[Paul C. Jesup]

(sarcasm) Warning, only anger 40 million people at your own risk.

[razorbak]

Go ahead and promote the murder of over a million unborn babies a year, but make sure and put those song-swappers in jail. These are the priorities of the Democrats.

[The_Macallan]

Two words: USE NET.

Two more words: ascii attachment.

---

It's Not Just A Gun...

It's My "HOMELAND DEFENSE RIFLE"!!

[goldstategop]

People who download songs to listen to and who share them with family and friends don't consider themselves to be criminals. I won't say commercially sell other people's work without their permission - that's outright theft - but there are laws punishing copyright violations on the books already. This bill sponsored by the Democrats is aimed at people who have personal music collections RIAA doesn't like.

[4mycountry]

>>>Ten years for rap.

Thank you.

If you have something to say, say it; If you have something to sing, sing it; If you must go fast, then go fast--but not all at the same time!!

[JustPiper]

This bothers me only because we have pedophiles preying on our kids, DUI's getting released and killing more people, etc. Now we have no room for them in our overcrowded prison system, but put away Kazaa fans, ok?

[JerseyHighlander]

To put it bluntly, if this bill were to become law, the home computers of congressmen, and probably everyone who uses their personal-use local ISP, would be blocked, probed, violated, and hijacked countrywide. But let Conyers piss off an entire generation of underemployed minority teen's and 20 somethings in Michigan to save the butts of a few studio executives. Is this his lame duck session?

[snopercod]

When will inventors, designers, and engineers receive the same protection against having their work stolen?

[Pyro7480]

Those Democrats have to suck up to those RIAA lawyers, don't you know? Hey, if this causes millions of my peers to shift over and vote Republican, I say let them try!

[chainsaw]

Go ahead and promote the murder of over a million unborn babies a year, but make sure and put those song-swappers in jail.

Follow the money in this one. Who is getting the money from the recording industry.

---

Sponsored by Michigan Rep. John Conyers and California Rep. Howard Berman, the bill would make it easier to slap criminal charges on Internet users who copy music, movies and other copyrighted files over "peer-to-peer" networks.

I like the way these liberal writers refuse to identify which party these congress critters belong too. Both are liberal socialist democrats.

[Thebaddog]

What will the penalty be for using a dubbing casette recorder to copy music?

[Happy2BMe]

You can bet that if this bill passes, our freedoms of speech won't be worth the price of a free download.

Where will this end?

This is the beginning of a nightmare.

Big Brother will become "Big Monster."

Why should they stop with songs? ANY download will be next.

Will there be a new federal agency that does nothing but track online downloads? Have it staffed by Indians, Bangladeshis, and Pakistanis?

This mentality will open wide the gates of facism upon us and will spell the end of our personal freedoms.

Bye bye Miss American Pie.

[Happy2BMe]

"Those Democrats have to suck up to those RIAA lawyers, don't you know?"

Uh - not so fast!

Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) is heading this pack! Not only that, he wants to wax your PC and smack your PP for messin' with songs on da tube!

Hatch Targets Internet Users

[alrea]

the bill also has a provision that will track purchases of CD burners

[Pyro7480]

Man, this disappoints me. Damn politicians...

[Happy2BMe]

"Damn politicians..."

The gubmint has wanted our 2nd Amendment rights for 50 years.

This could be their ticket.

[arasina]

Lawyers, take notice! A new supply of feed is coming to your trough! Get your snouts ready (and don't forget to vote for your Dim providers)!