Big Win for the MPAA & RIAA?

Team member - B. Frost

With the Presidental election right around the corner, voters are preparing to cast their ballots for a new Commander in Chief. Whereas most, if not all, attention is turned to Senators John McCain and Barrack Obama, the outgoing leader of the free world has put his "John Hancock" on a new law which favors the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). After a unamious vote by Congress, President George Bush has signed off on the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act of 2008 (PRO IP Act).

Nice title, but what does it mean?

A major point of the PRO IP Act which would have given authority to the Department of Justice to pursue civil copyright cases was removed from the bill before it was passed. The creation of a "Copyright Czar" position remained part of the bill as it came to vote. Also included in the new law is a provision which would allow for the seizure and holding of materials or items if it is thought that these items could be used for committing a crime. This "extension of forfeiture" is almost exclusively found in drug-related cases. In such matters, a user's computer(s), external hard drives, MP3 player or IPod, even network modems, routers, and switches are fair game for seizure. If the accused chooses to fight the claims in order to retrieve their seized property, the typical time and cost associated with such a case is three (3) years and $ 10,000.

For those that have enjoyed their freedom to download music, movies, and more, it may be a wise idea to research which congressional members supported this bill and show your disapproval come Election Day.