RIAA Wants To Scrap Anti-Piracy OPEN Act 268
silentbrad writes with these selections from an article at Ars Technica: "The Recording Industry Association of America found itself in an unusual position this week: opposing an anti-piracy bill that's gaining momentum in Congress ... the RIAA argues the bill won't be effective at shutting down rogue sites. The trade group warns of 'indefinite delays' as claims of infringement are investigated. And it complains that the process envisioned by OPEN would allow for 'endless submissions by parties such as Google,' further gumming up the process. All the while, the alleged rogue site would be able to continue operating. The RIAA also warns that the need to hire an attorney to navigate the ITC's arcane legal process will 'put justice out of reach for small business American victims of IP theft.' The trade group complains that sites aren't held responsible for the infringing activities of their users, a rule the trade group says 'excuses willful blindness and outright complicity in illegal activity.' RIAA also says it's 'virtually impossible' to prove that a site infringed willfully, as OPEN requires."
Re:*Stomps foot* (Score:5, Informative)
ACTA [wikipedia.org] is coming into force, SOPA [wikipedia.org]/PIPA [wikipedia.org] will be coming back, and the upcoming Trans Pacific Partnership [wikipedia.org] means that if you even think of dressing up like a copyrighted character then you'll be censored off the 'net.
Here's coverage on the TPP from a Canadian perspective: here [michaelgeist.ca], here [michaelgeist.ca], and here [michaelgeist.ca].
The point is that Hollywood and content holders in general have all the strings in their hands right now [wikipedia.org] and for the foreseeable future. Like ACTA the TPP is being negotiated in secrecy. Which, when you think about it makes it undemocratic just by it's procedure.
Re:hiring lawyers (Score:5, Informative)
they will face expensive lawsuits with public defenders?
You don't get public defenders in civil suits, mate. That's why it's so expensive.
Re:Can't prove it was willful? Don't shut it down. (Score:4, Informative)
Similarly, it's 'virtually impossible' to prove that a DMCA complaint was issued in bad faith.
Re:Those bastards (Score:3, Informative)
He didn't say out-of-court settlements are extortion. He said that threats of "give us an unreasonably large sum of money or we'll ruin your life" is extortion.
But it's cool, I'm sure that strawman had it coming.
Re:hiring lawyers (Score:4, Informative)
please also stop buying blueray, as well. that goes into sony's pocket and that's a bad thing (as we all know).
but also it sends a message to hollywood. it says we aren't willing to play their games and use their method of 'content licensing'.
I have boycotted bd and refuse to support this model with my money.
please join me.
Re:Those bastards (Score:4, Informative)
Technically, it's barratry [wikipedia.org] when you send a laywer instead of Guido and Moose to ask for the money.