[opendtv] The Piracy Deterrance and Education Act was: Re: News: The Induce Act

The same flavor of bill is making its way around with added application 
to file-sharing networks.

http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/09/28/HNusfiletrading_1.html

"On a voice vote, the measure passed the House and will now be sent to 
the U.S. Senate. The bill expands the definition of file traders 
eligible for criminal penalties from individuals who "willingly" 
distribute copyright files to those who "knowingly" do so, an escalation 
that could result in jail time for file swappers, according to Adam 
Eisgrau, executive director of the P2P United lobbying group, which 
represents peer-to-peer companies and organizations. The Piracy 
Deterrence and Education Act of 2004 was sponsored by Representative 
Lamar Smith, a Republican from Texas. "My legislation will close a 
loophole that has made it impossible for prosecutors to bring charges 
against counterfeiters. It empowers federal authorities to prosecute 
counterfeiting activity on a greater scale with better results," Smith 
said in a statement posted to his Web site Tuesday."

Both these measures are this industry's equivalent of the 'war on 
drugs', albeit with an added level of pure stupidity. Don't nail the 
filesharing networks, nail the users. However if we look at the 'war on 
drugs', most distribution and manufacturing locations are in unknown 
locations in South America -- but -- we know where all the filesharing 
hubs are (down to physical location).

This makes it the equivalent of bringing all the drug manufacturing and 
distribution cartels into the USA, giving them each a business and a 
large sign outside saying 'crack/smack/dope/meth/speed distribution 
warehouse', and then sending the cops on their merry way to imprison as 
many users as they can to stop said problem. Insanity.

Only in America are the jail sentences for file sharing kids a magnitude 
greater than those for rapists, child molesters, and second degree 
murder convictions. What is wrong with this picture, and why won't 
people stand up to this insanity (I hesitate to call it that - stupidity 
would be a better word, as I seriously question the intelligence of 
those people drafting and passing these bills) -- are we all just too 
complacent? Who voted these clowns into office?

Cheers
Kon

Craig Birkmaier wrote:
> Here we go again...
> 
> I have been told by friends in Washington that this legislation may 
> be the biggest attack on fair use to date. Some say that this 
> legislation could make products like Apple's iPOD illegal...
> 
> Regards
> Craig
> 
> 
> September 30, 2004
> 
> Panel Considers Copyright Bill
> By TOM ZELLER Jr.
 
 
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