Sen. Hatch rails on the Pirate Bay, Canada
Sen. Hatch rails on the Pirate Bay, Canada
June 12, 2009, 10:45 AM
"The Utah Republican used the Swedish case as an example of why US patent and copyright reform should impose strict penalties on willful infringement."
"At this week's World Copyright Summit in Washington, DC, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R. - Utah) spoke to the group of more than 500 attendees, and noted the Anti-Piracy Caucus' 2009 Country Watch List, which lists countries with the most intellectual property violations. There, he noted the latest edition of the list contains a familiar neighbor.
"This year, it was particularly disappointing to see that Canada, one of America's closest trading partners, was listed on the Watch List," Sen. Hatch said. "This is another sobering reminder of how pervasive and how close to our borders copyright piracy has become in the global IP community." Canada ranked in the top five problem countries along with China, Russia, Mexico, and Spain.
Hatch went on to herald the case against the Pirate Bay as "a legal victory," and that even though it is only a first step, the real key to curbing piracy is for the government to work closely with ISPs, much like HADOPI (the three-strikes rule) in France. French Minister of Culture and Communications Christine Albanel happened to be in attendance.
"In the United States, I am encouraged with the developments that have transpired between content owners and some ISPs," the senator remarked. "Obviously, we still have a ways to go, but we are seeing a promising level of participation within the industry. I believe a flexible and
free-market solution is essential if we are to be successful in this endeavor. As more of these discussions turn into actions, it is vital that these principles remain front and center."
Hatch then discussed his mission to update the patent system and enact the Performance Rights Act which would collect increased annual royalties from satellite, terrestrial, and Internet radio stations.
"We must ensure that our songwriters are not placed in situations where their property rights are ignored by infringers," Senator Hatch said. "For this reason, I continue to have discussion with my colleagues on how best to address the issue of willful infringement. Indeed, we must strike a fair balance, one that fosters a vibrant broadcast radio community and compensates artists for their work. Now that the Performance Rights Act has passed the House Judiciary Committee, I believe you will see the Senate Judiciary Committee act -- maybe this summer, as Sen. Leahy [chairman of the Judiciary Committee] suggested at last week's mark-up."
The Copyright Summit featured content creators, content owners, legislators and technology experts discussing the continuing evolution of digital copyright and the Internet. Other speakers at the event included former Bee Gee Robin Gibb, director of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Amadeus Miloš Forman, and President of the Consumer Electronics Association Gary Shapiro.
:source: Source: BetaNews
