<h1 class="entry-title"><a href="http://networkedblogs.com/q2KRE?a=share&ref=nf"><font size="2">http://networkedblogs.com/q2KRE?a=share&ref=nf</font></a></h1><h1 class="entry-title">What’s in a name? So-called anti-piracy copyright
legislation</h1>
<div class="entry-meta"><span class="meta-prep meta-prep-author">Posted on</span>
<a title="4:11 pm" href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/2011/11/what%e2%80%99s-in-a-name-so-called-anti-piracy-copyright-legislation-2/" rel="bookmark"><span class="entry-date">November 15, 2011</span></a> <span class="byline"><span class="meta-sep">by</span> <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" title="View all posts by Corey W" href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/author/corey-w/">Corey
W</a></span></span><span class="comments-link"><span class="meta-sep">|</span> </span></div>
<div class="entry-content">
</div><p class="entry-content">Ok, more like what’s in an acronym (and what the heck does it mean)? The
latest round of legislation thinly cloaked under a veil of copyright was
supposedly crafted to squelch online piracy. Here’s what we’ve got – The
PROTECT IP Act or PIPA bill (<a href="http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s968/show">S. 968</a>) in the U.S.
Senate and the recently introduced companion SOPA or E-PARASITE bill (<a href="http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h3261/show">H. 1362</a>) in the U. S.
House of Representatives.</p><div class="entry-content">
</div><p class="entry-content">Ok, so you ask, what do these bills actually mean?</p><div class="entry-content">
</div><p class="entry-content">First introduced in the U.S. Senate in May was S. 968, “<em>The Preventing
Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property
Act of 2011</em>” or PROTECT IP Act of 2011 or PIPA (not to be confused with the
famous sister-in-law across the pond). Senators Leahy (D-VT), Hatch (R-UT) and
Grassley (R-IA) introduced the bill intending to crack down on rogue websites
dedicated to the sale of infringing counterfeit goods. The library community’s
specific concern with this bill is its potential impact on first amendment
rights. The ALA joined other organizations and sent a <a href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/2011/11/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Public-interest-968-letter.pdf">letter</a>
(pdf) to Senate leadership stating, as currently drafted “…S. 968 makes nearly
every actor on the Internet potentially subject to enforcement orders under the
bill, raising new policy questions regarding government interference with online
activity and speech.“</p><div class="entry-content">
</div><p class="entry-content">An even more egregious bill was introduced in the U.S. House by Reps. Smith
(R-VA), Conyers (D-MI), Goodlatte (R-VA) and Berman (D-CA) in late October –
H.R. 3261, “<em>The Stop Online Piracy Act</em>” or SOPA, also known as the
“<em>Enforcing and Protecting American Rights Against sites Intent on Theft and
Exploitation</em>” or E-PARASITE bill (uh, gross). This bill makes the Senate
version (S. 968) pale in comparison – it’s that bad. A myriad of concerns have
been raised and strike at privacy, intellectual freedom and cyber security,
among others.</p><div class="entry-content">
</div><p class="entry-content">The ALA, as part of the Library Copyright Alliance (which includes ACRL and
ARL) sent a <a href="http://www.librarycopyrightalliance.org/bm~doc/lca-sopa-8nov11.pdf">letter</a>
(pdf) to the House leadership raising specific copyright-related concerns on
behalf of libraries. In the letter we raise two key concerns:</p><div class="entry-content">
</div><div class="entry-content"><ol>
<li>The bill would change the scope of “willful infringement” with the potential
to capture what the courts would have previously determined as innocent
infringement– raising the stakes of statutory damages sought up to $150,000 per
work.</li>
<li>In addition, the bill would impose criminal sanctions for public
performances including streaming. Public performances would include digital
works transmitted to classrooms, including those at a distance, and even those
of a non-commercial nature.</li></ol></div>
<p>Ultimately, this bill brings into the realm of possibility the criminal
prosecution of a library for streaming or public performances for educational
purposes (yikes!).</p>
<p>But wait, there’s more! On the heels of being introduced in late October, the
SOPA/E-PARASITE bill is slated to be the subject of a House Judiciary Committee
<a href="http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/hear_11162011.html">hearing</a> on
November 16, 2011.</p>
<p>In sum, one might deduce that the more troublesome a bill, the more
ridiculous names and acronyms are piled on.</p>
<p>Corey Williams<br>Associate Director<br>Office of Government Relations</p>
<p>P.S. Want to see concerns raised by others? Check out the following letters
and responses:</p>
<ul>
<li>The ALA joins several other public interest groups and sends a <a href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Public_Interest_SOPA_Letter-1.pdf">letter </a>
(pdf) to House Judiciary Committee leadership</li>
<li>Mike Masnick of TechDirt “<a href="http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111110/00563216705/when-even-librarians-are-against-sopa.shtml">When
even librarians are against SOPA</a>” and “<a href="http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111108/00553216676/why-protect-ipsopa-is-exact-wrong-approach-to-dealing-with-infringement-online.shtml">Why PROTECT IP/SOPA is the exact wrong approach to dealing with
infringement online</a>”</li>
<li>Brookings “<a href="http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2011/1115_cybersecurity_friedman.aspx">Cybersecurity in the Balance: Weighing the Risks of the PROTECT IP
Act and the Stop Online Piracy Act</a>”</li>
<li><a href="http://www.protectinnovation.com/downloads/letter.pdf">Letter</a> to U.S. House of Representatives leadership from nine
major tech companies opposing SOPA</li>
<li>International & civil and human rights groups send a <a href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/SOPA-letter-from-Intl-human-rights-community-1.pdf">letter</a>
(pdf) to House Judiciary Committee leadership</li></ul><div> </div><div><a href="http://networkedblogs.com/q2KRE?a=share&ref=nf">http://networkedblogs.com/q2KRE?a=share&ref=nf</a></div><div><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>
</div><div><em><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10pt;">Diedre Conkling</span></em><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10pt;"><br><em><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Lincoln County Library District</span></em><br>
<em><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">P.O. Box 2027</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Newport, OR 97365</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Phone & Fax: 541-265-3066</span></em><br>
<em><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Work email</span></em></span></i><em><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal;">: </span></em><a href="mailto:diedre@lincolncolibrarydist.org" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10pt;"><font color="#0000ff">diedre@lincolncolibrarydist.org</font></span></i></a><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10pt;"><br>
<em><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Home email: </span></em></span></i><a href="mailto:diedre08@gmail.com" target="_blank"><em><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10pt;">diedre08@gmail.com</span></em></a></div>
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<div><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/WAR-IS-OBSOLETE/297916183027" target="_blank"><font color="#3b5998">WAR IS OBSOLETE</font></a></div><span>Holding resentment is like eating poison and waiting for the other person to keel over. - Unknown Author</span></h6>
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