International Intellectual Property Protection and Enforcement Act of 2008
 

http://www.scmagazineus.com/US-intel...rticle/116555/

Legislation has been introduced in the Senate aimed at reducing intellectual property theft internationally.

The legislation, called the International Intellectual Property Protection and Enforcement Act of 2008, would require the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to spur countries where intellectual property rights have been violated to take specific steps to stop violations.

It would also provide funds to increase USTR's capability to work with developing countries to improve intellectual property protection and enforcement, and gives the president powerful enforcement tools to deal with countries that refuse to enforce restrictions on widespread theft of U.S. intellectual property.

The legislation is sponsored by Senators Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Max Baucus, D-Mont.

“This landmark legislation will serve as an important bridge in the battle to protect U.S. intellectual property rights overseas,” said Hatch in a statement. “With the rising tide of piracy and counterfeiting abroad, it is vital that we provide those working on the front lines with the tools they need to ensure that our nation's intellectual property rights are lawfully respected by foreign countries.”

The legislation would help protect U.S. software technology, which is often pirated in foreign countries. Katherine McGuire, vice president of government relations for the Business Software Alliance (BSA), said in a statement that the bill would enhance the conditions for innovation in America.

“Our industry – and indeed the wider U.S. economy and society -- thrive on creativity and innovation,” McGuire said. “American innovation depends on strong, comprehensive and enforceable intellectual property policies. Fortunately, the U.S. leads the world in protecting IP, which has been a key part of our success. And yet, too often our nation's innovators are ripped off by bad actors in nations where IP enforcement is not as strong.”



What do you guys think of this?

http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?.../09/12/1239243

"The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved the EIPA (the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights Act of 2008), which would create copyright cops. And these cops would take over the RIAA's War on Sharing by filing civil lawsuits and using civil forfeiture laws to take any and all computers engaged in infringement. Worse, they would even seize computers (such as servers or database farms) that house the data of innocent people, and these people would not have any right to get their data back. At best the 'virtual bystanders' who happened to have data on a computer used for infringement could get a protective order saying that no one should go rummaging through their stuff. Perhaps the only good thing in the bill is that they've excluded DMCA circumvention from the list of grounds for seizure. So while the Senators believe this is needed to combat foreign copyright infringement cartels, it's entirely likely that innocent people will be harmed by this law."


:1orglaugh

Looks like somebody with alot of money is getting sick of the internet's rampant piracy.

Its only a matter of time before they seek to reform DMCA

Parking a "see sig nig" right here.

Nobody here really cares :winkwink:

But this bill could be huge.

It would allow the US to pressure other countries to enforce IP through trade restrictions.

:winkwink::winkwink:

I think it's a solid post. Just had to beat the other sig nigs.

It would be nice to see something like this work. More as a collaboration then force. But the end result in handling some of this b.s.. :thumbsup

Yes, the grey areas that they hide in will get smaller and smaller.