New Copyright Infringement Bill Doubles Penalties, Includes "Intent" Provisions

[DudeAsInCool]

Ars Technica reports some dire goings on in Cogress:

"H.R. 3155, the Intellectual Property Enhanced Criminal Enforcement Act of 2007, aims widely. Everything gets a section: unauthorized recording of films in theaters, circumventing copy protection, trafficking in counterfeit goods. The bill even directs the Attorney General to send federal prosecutors to take up permanent residence in Hong Kong and Budapest and specifies the number and makeup of FBI investigative teams.

In most cases, the bill appears to simply double existing penalties. Section 12 alone, for instance, makes a 10 year prison term in a 20 year term, three years into six, five into 10, and six into 12. Poof! More prison time!"

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[Matt Rendo]

I think I would rather spend $13 on a CD, or $20 on a DVD, then do jail time.

[DudeAsInCool]

Congress and the Record Industry are severely out of touch with consumer needs, wants and actions

[Matt Rendo]

Congress and the Record Industry are severely out of touch with consumer needs, wants and actions

It has gotten bad on the consumers end too.

I was at the store the other day wondering if I should buy a CD or just download it from Limewire.

I found it hard to justify paying $12.99 for something I could get for free, regardless of legality.

Obviously the consumer would prefer to get their music online, legally or not.

What needs to be done is a serious shifting of pricing. It seems that they are charging

roughly 99 cents per track. If you are downloading a 10-12 track album then that is a fair price.

If you are downloading a 17-18 track album for $17-18 when it would be $13 in the store,

then of course it is a horrible price. The record industry's unwillingness to lower prices is the

main reason people are finding alternate means to get their music.

As far as Congress, I have no real opinion. They do what the major corporations "will" them

to do.

Edited July 30, 2007 by Matt Rendo

[Umma]

I'd rather buy direct from the creative source...

[DudeAsInCool]

I'd rather buy direct from the creative source...

That is the correct solution..and something we may help with

[Redneck4sure]

ahoy matey!!

I buy hard drives and pirate the rest....