Obama and Biden move to make downloading music a Criminal Offense!!!

[Mr.Fab]

There's a clause in the legislation that if you think about downloading a song, that it would be a civil offense... Wow

Obama Administration Announces Massive Piracy Crackdown
Jason Mick

"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." -- U.S. VP Joe Biden

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.

[Floridatrainer]

Again why did ANYONE ever vote for this ****ing *******?

[ToPHeR35]

Doesn't change my FU Obama mindset....

[Champ3113]

well looks like 90% of people are fuked

[TrollTech]

Again why did ANYONE ever vote for this ****ing *******?

Mrs. Palin perhaps?

[ForwardAgain]

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."

I don't think he understands the concept of COPYING a file.

[Wisdom187]

you cant stop the internet

[machx]

Tell me what the difference is between this and stealing a CD off the shelves of FYE?

and don't tell me a cd, that's worth pennies.


INAFTER ignorants see "Obama" in title, don't read the story at all, and issue their blanket "****in obama" statement

[gotrice33]

um looks like i'm never gonna have a new song on my ipod again

[Champ3113]

how will they even find out the people that download music?

[Mr.Fab]

Again why did ANYONE ever vote for this ****ing *******?

What I'm scared of is that, "Well he might committ a crime, so lets try him in civil court for it" That can lead to no good.

It's completely ridiculous that verbage like that could actually become law...

[ItsGucciBaby]

obama and biden are ****ing clowns

[-TC-]

people bitch he's anti businesses, then he does this in hopes of helping, and people still bitch.

[StUck686]

thats never going to matter lol downloading a file is too easy

[ChannerT]

care, i do not. thanks for the info though.

[SquatsNOats]

Obama's a pussy and Biden's a feminist...


These are the people running our country... Lulz..

[machx]

These are the people running our country... Lulz..

yes they are... your point?

[EntropyS]

Tell me what the difference is between this and stealing a CD off the shelves of FYE?

and don't tell me a cd, that's worth pennies.


INAFTER ignorants see "Obama" in title, don't read the story at all, and issue their blanket "****in obama" statement

a cd

[PapaPrime]

holy sh!t, real thought police.. eventually using a proxy and anonymising yourself will be called doublethink

[BrawnySwoleman]

this will make no difference, I'm sure

[komrade]

this is not going to gain any support from the voters, that's for sure

oh, and

[machx]

a cd

that's worth pennies, does not matter.

if you steal a cd in a store you're charged with a criminal offense. If you steal a cd online you're not? makes no sense, especially considering the one who steals online is a lot more of a pussy

[Kharig]

I don't think he understands the concept of COPYING a file.

i doubt he understands technology

[DL Addict]

So, now they care about business and the economy?

[Mr.Fab]

holy sh!t, real thought police.. eventually using a proxy and anonymising yourself will be called doublethink

Exactly! **** is scary man. I'm more afraid of the government than I am of criminals....wait they're one in the same...

[machx]

So, now they care about business and the economy?

yes, such a radical concept. They walk both sides of the aisle

[wingman11]

"The Gamer Nerd Episode 1"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjWDHWE5AS8

A must watch please like and subscribe!

wannabe Angry Video Game Nerd. lame as fuk cuzz.

[gunshow101]

inb4 new world order

[-TC-]

that's worth pennies, does not matter.

if you steal a cd in a store you're charged with a criminal offense. If you steal a cd online you're not? makes no sense, especially considering the one who steals online is a lot more of a pussy

Its different though. If you steal a CD from a store thats physical property that another consumer could buy, not the same if you download it.

[SquatsNOats]

yes they are... your point?

Pussies and Feminists shouldn't be running our country.