U.S. Puts 12 Nations On Watch For Piracy

ColinPL writes with a link to an AP article about a public scolding the US has given China, Russia, and several other nations. Failure to 'sufficiently protect' American copyrights is the cause of the Bush administration's ire, and has resulted in these countries showing up on a 'priority watch list' that could eventually lead to economic sanctions. "In addition to Russia and China, the 10 countries placed on the priority watch list were Argentina, Chile, Egypt, India, Israel, Lebanon, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Venezuela. In elevating Thailand to the priority watch list, the administration said it was concerned by a range of issues including a 'deteriorating protection for patents and copyrights.' Thailand is currently in a dispute with international drug companies including Abbott Laboratories of the United States over the cost of drugs to fight AIDS and other diseases. The Thai government in January issued compulsory licenses allowing the use of much cheaper generic versions of two leading drugs in Thailand."

That told them!

[Threni (635302)]

If only China and Russia were big enough to not give a shit about US policy...

Re:That told them!

[Cathoderoytube (1088737)]

I think the reason Canada and the UK aren't on the list is because we're close neighbors with the US. In Canada's case we actually touch them. I'm not a political type person but I have an idea it would be bad for relations if the US went out and said 'Canada! you're on our list!' then we'd say 'Which list is that? The one for the terrorists, the beef, the lumber, the drugs or the flying squirrels?' then the US would say 'This is a new list! For not protecting our copyrights!' then we'd say 'Copyrights.. That's a new one is it?' then the US would say 'YES! We just made it! And you're on it! Right there below Venezuela!' then we'd say 'Wait what? We're still talking about copyrights here right? This list looks an awful lot like it has something to do with soccer. I think your list is wrong, we're more of a hockey country' then the US would say 'That's not true, your woman's team is quite good'. Then we'd say 'Well I suppose, but the fact of the matter remains we're really not known for our soccer' then the US would say 'You do have a valid point, we'll take you off the list.. '

So, uhh there you go.

Re:That told them!

[Fuzzums (250400)]

That's called free enterprise.
Everyboy knows that! Duh! C'mon. ;)

Re:That told them!

[ATestR (1060586)]

Except that the economy of China gets a big influx of money by selling to USA. Sure they can stop selling all their cheap goods over here, but if they do, what are they going to do with them?

Can't get to the article....

[gardyloo (512791)]

... anyone have a .torrent of it?

Let's be honest

[halivar (535827)]

This isn't just the Bush administration. If you vote for either of the Big Two, the person you voted for has been bought and paid for by the MAFIAA, and they are in full support of sending the copyright Gestapo after law-breakers worldwide.

Re:Let's be honest

[morgan_greywolf (835522)]

This isn't just the Bush administration. If you vote for either of the Big Two, the person you voted for has been bought and paid for by the MAFIAA, and they are in full support of sending the copyright Gestapo after law-breakers worldwide.

Except that they can't do much. Sure, the U.S. government can impose economic sanctions on non-compliant countries, but that only takes you so far. The U.S. Constitution requires that the federal government respect the sovereignty of foreign nations. U.S. courts won't typically touch a copyright infringement case if the infringement occurs overseas.

Re:Let's be honest

[jimicus (737525)]

The U.S. Constitution requires that the federal government respect the sovereignty of foreign nations.

That's odd, because I could have sworn Iraq was a foreign nation with its own sovreign government until a few years ago.

Re:Let's be honest

[owlnation (858981)]

Except that they can't do much. Sure, the U.S. government can impose economic sanctions on non-compliant countries, but that only takes you so far.

True, and certainly in China's case - who will this hurt exactly? What percentage of US goods are in fact manufactured in China? Quite a large one I'll bet, certainly a significant one. Similarly, Turkey doesn't really need the US, but the US really does need Turkey as a base.

The fact is, speaking as a European, nobody outside the US gives a damn about US laws. In fact, we find attempts like this to assert themselves legally, to be rather lame and sad. It's just hot air and rhetoric for the voters back home I guess

Anyway, in the highly improbable event that any of these countries paid any attention the the US on piracy and actually stopped it, there's still be many other countries to which pirates could easily and successfully move to. There's also plenty of piracy from within US borders too.

The only way to beat piracy is to include fair use in copyright - assuming copyright needs to exist at all.

The *IAA needs to develop new business models or simply die - those are the only two choices available.

Re:Let's be honest

[Silver Sloth (770927)]

Sure they can... the US can bomb the crap outta them, like they do anyone else who raises their ire.

This is known as gunboat diplomacy [wikipedia.org]. It's a fine method of practicing international affairs except that, as the NYT reports this morning (sorry, lost the link), everywhere that the US is at war has led to an increase in terrorist attacks.

Bombing the crap out of people always ends up with them doing the best they can to bomb the crap out of you and it's noticeable that all the worldwide military might of the US still hasn't defeated terrorism.

Re:Let's be honest

[thrillseeker (518224)]

as the NYT reports this morning (sorry, lost the link), everywhere that the US is at war has led to an increase in terrorist attacks.

no increase observed in the part the US cares about - the US.

Re:Let's be honest

[Entropius (188861)]

But there has been a massive *decrease* in the amount of resources the US has to take care of itself. There is infrastructure to be built, research to be done, debt to be paid down, an education system to be fixed, and on and on ... and all of these things are being neglected because of the sheer cost of these wars.

If bin Laden's goal is to, by terrorist attacks, cause material damage to the USA, he doesn't have to attack us. The USA has an autoimmune disorder of the first degree -- we're doing more damage to ourselves than bin Laden could ever dream of doing.

USA

[by Anonymous Coward]

Dear United STATES of AMERICA.

You have your own part of the world. Please stay within it's boundaries and spend the saved time READING Wikipedia's article on law. You DO NOT and SHALL NOT ever control other nations laws. You cannot even abide by the very laws you were founded on these days, so why do you expect others to do the same?

Lots of love
Rest of the world.

The third world

[n3tcat (664243)]

I remember on my camp in Kuwait, the TCNs (third-world country nationals) would come on to clean, and would also stop by our living quarters with a truck load of burned dvds and vcds for a few bucks a pop. And this was very often. I know it was even worse up in Iraq, with people ripping and burning movies to sell on the markets all the time.

So these other countries must be doing this in huge quantities to be on this list. It's rather impressive really.

Re:The third world

[Heir Of The Mess (939658)]

I think you will find that there are factories in China making pirate DVDs that get shipped in bulk to just about every other country in the world. There are factories in Hong Kong that start printing the retail DVDs to stock up for the retail release, of course this printing is done while the movie is still in theatres, but often theses Hong Kong factories are also the source of the early DVD rips where rogue employees get a copy out of the factory somehow.

Counterfeiting is also big in China. There they even managed to set up a whole fake NEC organisation that was buying from the same suppliers that the real NEC did, see http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/04/27/business/ne c.php [iht.com]. They even print foreign food labels and put in on local produce. It's amazing stuff. There was even a case where they set up a car factory right next to a GM factory and were churning out the same car. Check this out http://www.automotoportal.com/article/chinese-rip- offs-of-western-automakers [automotoportal.com] Makes a truck of burnt DVDs look like childs play.

What? No Canada?

[BladedThoth (978066)]

After the MPAA threw it's hissy-fit tantrum a while back about how Canada is the #1 place for movie piracy because it's where screen records come from, that they're thinking of delaying out movie release for weeks, yada yada yada, Canada doesn't make it anywhere on the list? Heh. Maybe the federal government isn't quite as stupid about what the *AAs are doing as they typically act like.

I see Canada isn't on there...

[Dorkmaster Flek (1013045)]

Could that have anything to do with the fact that we just caved [michaelgeist.ca] to US lobbyist pressure to buy some goodwill?

Piracy?

[treehouse (781426)]

Even /. has bought into calling copyright infringement "piracy". If you don't think it's the moral equivalent of murder on the high seas, then don't use the RIAA term "piracy". You just play into their hands.

Blatant Piracy should be stopped

[prakslash (681585)]

I, for one, welcome this.

These countries can do everything cheaper as seen with off-shored outsourcing and all.
The only edge the US has is innovation.

If these countries can just copy everything and do it dirt cheap, it will harm entities in the US who spend money on innovation - be it pharmaceuticals, music or software.

I think a bit of personal not-for-profit p2p downloading and an exception for life-saving drugs in OK. But, the balatant disregard for copyrights and patents with businesses in these countries openly copying and selling pharmaceuticals, software and music should be stopped.

Re:Blatant Piracy should be stopped

[tomstdenis (446163)]

You do realize that in most [not all] of these countries the people make in a year what most of us make in a month [or two]? right? Buying a 25$ movie may be nothing to people in the states or Canada, but is a big deal for many else.

Unless the mafiaa is willing to sell movies and CDs for dirt cheap they should expect piracy. let's see, I make about 70K and am willing to spend 25$ on a movie [if it's really good, otherwise I hover around $10]. These people make $7-10K so how about charge them $3 for the same movie. No? Ok, expect piracy.

And frankly if you stake your financial security on nations where the average income is $200 a month, chances are you should rethink your business plan.

Tom

Re:Blatant Piracy should be stopped

[A beautiful mind (821714)]

I think a bit of personal not-for-profit p2p downloading and an exception for life-saving drugs in OK. But, the balatant disregard for copyrights and patents with businesses in these countries openly copying and selling pharmaceuticals, software and music should be stopped.

So you're saying that just because the USA can't come up with a working economy, it resorts to hijacking a mechanism from the 18th century to try to control what every rational human being would classify as ideas that belong to everyone. Like the RIAA, the USA Govt. should learn the lesson too: come up with a working business model/economy or roll over.

Thailand?

[Don_dumb (927108)]

Copying drugs to fight AIDS and other diseases.

Those bastards!

Bush Logic

[SlantyBard (1040070)]

Ok, they want to put Thailand on this list partly because Thailand has told them we are only going to pay a certain amount for anti-viral HIV medication instead of the hugely inflated US prices. Seems to me that saves US dollars in the end because it is US men (and other westerners too) going over for underage sex with potentially HIV infected girls which if treated appropriately would keep US healthcare costs down by decreasing transmission to US citizens.

I attest my country

[junglee_iitk (651040)]

As an Indian I can attest that there is nothing going on in India to protect "Intellectual property". I am neglecting the facts that KPO [google.com] is a branded commodity for US, and the Bollywood industry has been doing its own part of playing RIAA in India.
1) India is big, poor, and in short, 3rd world country. It has problems involving supply of water (clean or not), clean air etc. It surprises many people in India when they learn that other countries don't have regular power failures. I don't think there is absolutely anything anyone can do to stop piracy. If they could, they would stop theft of electricity first. And I am not even sure "Intellectual property" is widely accepted as property.
2) Bollywood et. al. will never add the DRM. Dirt cheap electronics from China and Taiwan are driving the market, and anyone having a TV is buying a DVD player. And unlike most other countries, movies in Bollywood are made for the lowest section of society. No one can take the risk of screwing this market. Just some days ago I bought a DVD and was able to just copy-paste-play it. Region lock is not known to most people.

Those are what I consider the good parts. The bad part is, though, that open source is a far off concept - a competition between free Windows and free Linux. I don't even remember a place where I can buy Windows legally. If you ask the dealer, he will just burn a CD for you, for free or for 15 rs. (.25 ). Unless Linux becomes as big as Windows, good luck having it a "Desktop OS".

Re:I wonder

[malsdavis (542216)]

It is indeed a strange twist when the pirated versions are better than the originals.

I noticed this absurdity last week when I had to download a pirated version of a CD I had just bought so that I could actually play it in my car.

Utterly absurd and needless to say, the next album I want I will downloading (via illegal sources of course, those legal sources are the worst of all).