Ugh Oh

[Gonzo]

bad news in the works

A California Democrat introduced a bill Thursday that would make sharing of copyrighted files illegal, and would indemnify copyright holders from taking whatever actions they chose to prevent the sharing of those files.
The effect, if approved by Congress and signed into law, would be to virtually outlaw file-sharing as is commonly known. The bill was authored by and introduced by Rep. Howard L. Berman, a California Democrat representing the 26th Congressional District, which includes North Hollywood. Berman is the ranking member of the Congressional Committee on the Judiciary's subcommittee on courts, the Internet, and intellectual property.

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,3973,415648,00.asp

 

[leslie]

I guess some congressmen will be getting some unhappy calls shortly...

 

[PuterTutor]

Berman's arguments are financial in nature. In 2001, the U.S. recording industry lost $4.2 billion to hard-goods piracy worldwide, the U.S. movie industry lost $3 billion to videocassette piracy, and the U.S. entertainment software industry lost $1.9 billion due to piracy in just fourteen countries, Berman said in a speech to Congress on June 25. In 2000, hard-goods piracy cost the U.S. business software industry $11.8 billion alone, he said.

I know this sounds like alot that they "lost" But how does that compare with what they made?

The key provisos of the bill would indemnify, or free from legal penalty, copyright holders from whatever actions they would need to take to prevent sharing of copyrighted files

Now that sounds just downright scary.

 

[Justintime]

oy! sheesh!