Lawmakers want power to shut down 'pirate sites' - Polidicks

[img]http://www.appsmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/cnet-new.jpg[/img] [url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20016995-261.html]Source[/url] [release]A group of senators want to hand the U.S. Department of Justice the power to shut down Web sites dedicated to the illegal sharing online of film, music, software and other intellectual property. "The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act will give the Department of Justice an expedited process for cracking down on these rogue Web sites regardless of whether the Web site's owner is located inside or outside of the United States," according to a statement from Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and committee member Sen. Orin Hatch (R-Utah). Under the proposed legislation, the DOJ would file a civil action against accused pirate domain names. The U.S. attorney general could then request that the court issue an order finding that the domain name in question is dedicated to infringing activities. That would give the DOJ the authority to serve the accused site's U.S.-based registrar with an order to shut down the site. If passed, the bill would also give "the attorney general the authority to serve the order on other specified third parties at its discretion, including Internet service providers, payment processors, and online ad network providers." A staffer from Leahy's office said she would try to find out what that particular passage means for these third parties. The way it sounds, the DOJ would have the power to to force companies such as Google, Comcast or Visa to cease doing business with an alleged pirate site. This is one of the most ambitious attempts yet from the U.S. government to fight online piracy. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have pledged this year to help protect U.S. intellectual property. In June, Biden made headlines when he said: "Piracy is theft, clean and simple. It's smash and grab." The legislation comes after years of failed attempts by the United States to battle alleged pirate sites based overseas. None of those sites are more well known than The Pirate Bay, a BitTorrent search engine whose three founders are from Scandinavia. The site has managed to thwart numerous International efforts to shut it down. If the bill passes, it could mark the most significant antipiracy victory for the film and music industries in quite a while. The Motion Picture Association of America and The Recording Industry Association of America have tried lobbying ISPs to adopt policies that would culminate with a potential suspension or termination of service. While some ISPs have agreed to implement such policies, some of the bigger companies, such as AT&T have refused to boot alleged illegal file sharers without a court order. Bob Pisano, interim CEO of the MPAA, applauded Leahy and his committee for combating "efforts to steal the lifeblood" of their industries.[/release]

Right, because the internet works that way. These idiots just want to get rid of net neutrality for the corporation's interests. I really hope this doesn't pass, otherwise I'd move to Europe. I wouldn't be surprised if it did pass considering how a lot of lawmakers/judges/etc. have no idea how the internet works.

I hate how the internet is operated in the US. We need our own private internet.

[QUOTE=Leaf Runner;24943805]Right, because the internet works that way. These idiots just want to get rid of net neutrality for the corporation's interests. [b]I really hope this doesn't pass, otherwise I'd move to Europe.[/b] I wouldn't be surprised if it did pass considering how a lot of lawmakers/judges/etc. have no idea how the internet works.[/QUOTE]It says that it will give them the power to take them down, even if they are outside of the U.S. It justs adds to the fact that America's government is made up of nosy bastards...

Not this shit again.

what a nuisance.

Prepare for the incoming torrent of piracy-related puns.

[quote]"The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act will give the Department of Justice an expedited process for cracking down on these rogue Web sites [u]regardless of whether the Web site's owner is located inside or outside of the United States[/u],"[/quote] Here we go again, the United States thinking it has the right and ability to police the entire world.

Where will I get my Linux Distros?

[QUOTE=dag10;24946596]Prepare for the incoming torrent of piracy-related puns.[/QUOTE] ARG, the RIAA be plunderin our booty.

How the hell is piracy like theft, sure it's stealing content, but not like stealing physical goods, fucking Biden.

Why do Democrats support this bullshit.

US sucks

I really doubt that giving the government the power to shut down a torrent site for corporate interest will make people want to go out and buy music. Good job corporations

[QUOTE=mr.killa;24946713]ARG, the RIAA be plunderin our booty.[/QUOTE]Ahoey, maties!

Well pirate websites are illegal...afterall

[QUOTE=bigbigzubra;24946803]I really doubt that giving the government the power to shut down a torrent site for corporate interest will make people want to go out and buy music. Good job corporations[/QUOTE] Well like it's been stated, must people don't understand shit about the internet.

[QUOTE=Tetracycline;24946845]Well pirate websites are illegal...afterall[/QUOTE] No. Only the content [i]hosted[/i] on the site is illegal.

[QUOTE=Tetracycline;24946845]Well pirate websites are illegal...afterall[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.mininova.org/[/url]

[QUOTE=Micr0;24947357]No. Only the content [i]hosted[/i] on the site is illegal.[/QUOTE] Yeah, and with the ignorance and the power, I wouldn't blink an eye at the thought that they would just shut down websites left and right cause they're too fucking stupid to understand what's going on. No. Something like this is way too powerful for anyone and this should [i]never[/i] be allowed.

[QUOTE=Rubs10;24947437]Yeah, and with the ignorance and the power, I wouldn't blink an eye at the thought that they would just shut down websites left and right cause they're too fucking stupid to understand what's going on. No. Something like this is way too powerful for anyone and this should [I]never[/I] be allowed.[/QUOTE] Agreed. The ability to shut down any website from outside of the country it's hosted in shouldn't be held by anyone.

And this is why Magnet links were invented. BitTorrent doesn't need trackers or torrent hosters anymore, it's practically immune to all attacks except for the Earth exploding.

this

[QUOTE=Micr0;24947357]No. Only the content [i]hosted[/i] on the site is illegal.[/QUOTE] If I were to give links to them murder films (which are illegal) and maybe even child porn, I would be okay because I'm not hosting nothin? I mean I understand the severity is different (though that's not what the fines would tell you) but they're all linking to illegal things, and they should be punished equally as much as the hosters. [editline]06:48PM[/editline] Though personally, I don't want pirate websites to go down, I'm poor and stuff. But you gotta understand why they want them gone

I can guarantee those senators are getting paychecks from the corporations that want this passed.

How long until the US realizes it's not the secret police of the entire world?

[QUOTE=Tetracycline;24951039]If I were to give links to them murder films [/QUOTE] Since when are "murder" films illegal?

[QUOTE=johan_sm;24951850]Since when are "murder" films illegal?[/QUOTE] I thought I read that somewhere, either way there's still the CP part

Most pirate sites that are worth a shit, aren't hosted in the US anyway. This accomplishes nothing.

[QUOTE=Jimmg;24946708]Where will I get my Linux Distros?[/QUOTE] Their official websites. After all, most of them supply torrents. [QUOTE=Oneperson;24951771]How long until the US realizes it's not the secret police of the entire world?[/QUOTE] Probably never. Most Americans are egocentric.