- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Internet users who allow others
to copy songs from their hard drives could face prison time under legislation
introduced by two Democratic lawmakers.
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- The bill is the strongest attempt yet to deter the widespread
online song copying that recording companies say has led to a decline in
CD sales.
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- Sponsored by Michigan Representative John Conyers and
California Representative Howard Berman, the bill would make it easier
to slap criminal charges on Internet users who copy music, movies and other
copyrighted files over "peer-to-peer" networks.
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- The recording industry has aggressively pursued Napster,
Kazaa and other peer-to-peer networks in court and recently announced it
planned to sue individual users as well.
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- In a series of hearings on Capitol Hill last spring,
lawmakers condemned online song swapping and expressed concern the networks
could spread computer viruses, create government security risks and allow
children access to pornography.
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- Few online copyright violators have faced criminal charges
so far. A New Jersey man pleaded guilty to distributing a digital copy
of the movie "The Hulk" in federal court three weeks ago, but
the Justice Department has not taken action against Internet users who
offer millions of copies of songs each day.
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- The Conyers-Berman bill would operate under the assumption
that each copyrighted work made available through a computer network was
copied at least 10 times for a total retail value of $2,500 (1,500 pounds).
That would bump the activity from a misdemeanor to a felony, carrying a
sentence of up to five years in jail.
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- It would also outlaw the practice of videotaping a movie
in the theatre, a favourite illicit method of copying movies.
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- "While existing laws have been useful in stemming
this problem, they simply do not go far enough," said Conyers, the
top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee.
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- A Conyers staffer said the bill had won the backing of
many Democrats but Republicans had yet to endorse it.
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- The staffer said backers hoped to discuss the bill at
a hearing on Thursday and combine it next week with another sponsored by
Texas Republican Rep. Lamar Smith.
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- A Smith spokesman was not immediately available for comment.
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- Call the Washington offices of Michigan Representative
John Conyers and California Representative Howard Berman
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- US Congressional Switchboard Toll-free Numbers
- 800-648-3516
- 877-762-8762 888-449-3511 800-393-1082
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