DOJ to sue P2P Pirates?

[Casa Nova]

Two senators, a Democrat and a Republican, introduced a bill on Wednesday that would unleash the world's largest law firm on Internet pirates. It would authorize the Justice Department to file civil lawsuits against people engaged in peer-to-peer copyright infringement--with the proceeds going to the company or person who owns the copyright.

"This legislation is a simple bill that would give the Department of Justice the authority to prosecute copyright violations as civil wrongs," Sen. Patrick Leahy, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said during a hearing on Wednesday. Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican, is a co-sponsor.

The new version of the Pirate Act, in addition to civil enforcement, also:

* Creates an "operational unit" of at least 10 FBI agents to investigate intellectual property offenses. It requires the Justice Department to assign a federal prosecutor to Hong Kong and Budapest, Hungary, "to assist in the coordination of the enforcement of intellectual property laws" and allocates $12 million per year.

http://www.news.com/the-iconoclast/8301-13578_3-9813358-38.html

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Will this help porn content producers?

[Evil Chris]

It might... but it'll also help give the World Police more power. ;)

[TheEnforcer]

It might. It all depends on how they approach the civil litagation. I highly doubt that porn producers content will be their focus of civil prosecutions so they would have to count on them going after a site with a broad assertion of copyright infringement and allow aggrieved parties to jump on board and join in the suit.

[Greg B]

It's a good idea but the room for error is so broad it would be a cash cow for anyone falsely accused.

[jjacksonesq]

I am going to agree with The Enforcer. I doubt that the DOJ will do much to help producers of pornography.

[Casa Nova]

I agree. They most likely won't help but it may lead towards something.