Last Dance For File Sharers

[Tony]

Music Producers will be celebrating after the US Supreme Court ruled that Software firms will be held responsible for customers using there technology to illegally swap songs & films.

The Decision means that file sharing service providers such as grokester and stremecast networks could be sued if there software is used for infringement of copyright.

TV & Music companies have claimed for several years that internet piracy's costing them billions of pounds in lost revenue.

But software providers say they have no direct control over what online users are doing.

The US case may encourage European regulators to take a tougher stance on copyright infringement.

Source: Daily Mail Newspaper

[Kamlee]

Abou
time to.

[Tony]

Washington, DC - Congressman Lamar Smith (R−TX), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property, today released the following statement concerning the Supreme Court’s Grokster vs. MGM decision:

“This is a huge victory for America’s creators. I am pleased that the Supreme Court recognizes the need to protect American innovation,” said Smith.

“Piracy and intellectual property theft cost American businesses billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs each year. A problem exists when the vast majority of people who would never shoplift a CD at a record store think nothing of downloading entire albums from peer-to-peer networks without paying for them,” said Smith.

”Both shoplifting and illegally downloading copyrighted materials are wrong and represent a direct threat to artists, software developers, and others whose livelihoods depend on their creations,” Smith noted.

“The Court today fired a broadside blow at online pirates. This will protect those who create, innovate, and invent,” commented Smith.

“In the weeks to come, the Intellectual Property Subcommittee will analyze the Court’s decision and its implications,” Smith concluded.

lamarsmith.house.gov/news.asp?FormMode=Detail&ID=658