0

By

Random House“A House of Representatives panel has approved a sweeping new copyright bill that would boost penalties for peer-to-peer piracy and increase federal police powers against Internet copyright infringement.” – CNET

The TeleRead take: It’ll be easier than ever for the feds to demand information from Net providers. Where are we headed? Allow me to trot out the W word. Remember? Watergate. I predict that just as the Nixonians used national security as an excuse to snoop on political foes, a present or future administration will use copyright to do the same.

Could just as easily be a Democratic administration as a Republican, regardless of the fact that Republicans control. along with the rest of Congress, the House intellecutual property subcommittee that passed the bill. In fact, a Democratic president might be even more of a risk. Even more than with the Republicans, Hollywood is the Democrats’ sugardaddy; we even have Hilary Rosen on CNBC speaking as an explainer of the Democratic perspective, which, actually, is understandable, since Hollywood is increasingly the Democratic Party and vice versa. In an age where intellectual property matters so much–both access to it and the right to use it–the Democrats are acquiring solid Tory credentials.

When the Piracy Deterrence and Education Act (PDEA) was being voted on, at least some Dems, to their credit, did speak out, including Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who said: “I am sure (that its sponsor) does not mean to expand the powers of the FBI. The concern I have is that this is very ambiguous. The language itself could lead an aggressive FBI to a different conclusion.” But then fellow Democratic Howard Berman expressed certainty that the FBI wouldn’t abuse its power. Guess what. His district is next door to Hollywood. When it comes to Hollywood money vs. civil liberties, we know the winner.

 
0