Government Measures Being Taken

In a 2010 letter to the President and Congress, regarding the protection of intellectual property, lays out a six point strategic plan to attack the growing concern of piracy.

1)                      Leading by example

2)                      Increasing Transparency

3)                      Ensuring Efficiency and Coordination

4)                      Enforcing our Rights Internationally

5)                      Securing our Supply Chain

6)                      Building a Data-Driven Government

New laws this year are bringing about debate on how far the government can take this issue. Grant Gross reports about the law SOPA, Stop Online Piracy Act, introduced in late October allowing US law enforcement officials to shut down websites alleged to enable or facilitate copyright infringement, causing critics to say the government will gain censorship of the internet. The Consumer Electronics Association accuses the government of allowing the law enforcements to shut down legitimate e-commerce site. The other opposing issue is that we would see a private sector police power grow to a point smothering the fundamental openness of the internet.

This year we also saw the finalization of negotiations between top internet providers and Hollywood and music industry to systematically identify customers suspected of copyright infringement and alerting them through email or other communication. They broke it down to six levels of warnings before significant action be taken. Based on the three strike rule, simple email notifications, reduced connection speed or blocked browsing. These consumers will have a chance to contest the complaints brought about them. The process gets progressively more severe as the user doesn’t cooperate, ending in whatever the defendant’s wishes to sue on behalf.

The biggest question we have to ask ourselves, is it worth the money and efforts to attempt to stop illegal downloading? Is it interfering with our freedoms? Is the government gaining access to everyone’s privacy through illegal measures?  

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/jul2011/isps-j13.shtml

http://www.justice.gov/criminal/cybercrime/Joint_Strategic_Plan_On_IP_Enforcement.pdf

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/08/technology/to-slow-piracy-internet-providers-ready-penalties.html?pagewanted=all

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/243200/debate_on_new_copyright_enforcement_bill_heats_up.html