Congress May Outlaw 'Attempted Piracy'

cnet-declan writes "Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is asking Congress to make 'attempted' copyright infringement a federal crime. The text of the legislation as well as the official press-release is available online. Rep. Lamar Smith, a key House Republican, said he 'applauds' the idea, and his Democratic counterpart is probably on board too. In addition, the so-called Intellectual Property Protection Act of 2007 would create a new crime of life imprisonment for using pirated software in some circumstances, expand the DMCA with civil asset forfeiture, and authorize wiretaps in investigations of Americans who are 'attempting' to infringe copyrights. Does this go too far?"

Re:Why does the law punish attempts at all?

[toleraen]

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!

Re:Lifetime Crime

[miskatonic alumnus]

I don't know ... distributing Gigli and Battlefield Earth might be a start.

Re:Lifetime Crime

[AllahsAvatar]

FTFA:
Create a new crime of life imprisonment for using pirated software. Anyone using counterfeit products who "recklessly causes or attempts to cause death" can be imprisoned for life. During a conference call, Justice Department officials gave the example of a hospital using pirated software instead of paying for it.

Obligatory Simpsons

[Tridus]

Does this mean I can finally when a nobel prize for attempted chemistry?

Re:This is brilliant!

[Zonk (troll)]

Until Microsoft get's the "execution for violating patents" law passed.

Re:Life in prison?

[Anonymous Coward]

Money speaks and dead people don't

Not according to charlatans like Sylvia Browne [randi.org]!

Re:Yes.

[RingDev]

Gonzo is supposed to be giving the bill more credibility?!?!

That would be great! They would try to hold someone accountable under the IPPA2007 law, but would find that no lawyers, prosecutors, or judges could recall exactly what part of the law had been violated, and then find that no one actually wrote the law down. In the end, the person would still be convicted though, because everyone knows they broke the law, they just can't remember how.

-Rick

Re:Lifetime Crime

[Megaweapon]

I don't know ... distributing Gigli and Battlefield Earth might be a start.

Now THAT'S terrorism.

Re:Why does the law punish attempts at all?

[Vraylle]

Ineptitude, or possibly a short attention span?

Oblig. Simpsons reference

[kristoferkarlsson]

Sideshow Bob: Attempted murder, now honestly, what is that? Do they give a Nobel Prize for attempted chemistry?

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:This is brilliant!

[CastrTroy]

But it's pretty easy to produce the paperwork. Just print out the GPL. Run it through the photocopier 10000 times if that's what they want you to do. How easy is it to produce Windows licenses for each and every Windows machine running in a large office building? How about MS Office? It's probably harder than you think for any business with more than 20 computers.

Re:Better question...

[Anonymous Coward]

because dubya likes how he sucks his dick?

Re:Why does the law punish attempts at all?

[pla]

I don't know why Congress doesn't just stop fucking around and ban thoughtcrime.

One thought at a time, Citizen. One thought at a time.

Re:Why does the law punish attempts at all?

[TheLetterPsy]

Ummm, manganese dioxide is a metal oxide, not a salt. Salts are ionic.

A metal oxide with a deadly weapon still sounds pretty scary, though.

Re:Why does the law punish attempts at all?

[Fyz]

If at first you don't succeed, redefine success!

What?? No death penalty?!

[strobe74]

These guys are obviously soft on people who might think about possibly considering piracy someday? COWARDS!!!

Give us the death penalty or give us.. well.. death!!!

idiots..

Brain-Hole

[ikeleib]

While the proposed act may make the attempts to infringe illegal, there are more pressing loopholes in existing copyright law.

Currently, consumers can view or hear content and later recall it without paying royalties. While humming a tune to yourself or quoting bits of recalled dialog is clearly a 'performance,' and therefore infringement, if they are particularly attentive during the 'performance,' they may even be able to visualize or 'hear' it in their memory. Does this not consist of infringement? This Brain-Hole is of far greater concern than other sorts of grey area infringement. We must close the Brain-Hole and ensure that there is still an incentive to create.

Who will be first to introduce such a bill? Write your congressmen and demand action!

Re:Why does the law punish attempts at all?

[Patik]

Salts are ionic.

Whatever, Alanis.

Burning Question

[Hellpop]

What if you like chinese soup but you accidentally leave the 'm' off of your favorite site, misohunt.com?

What is worse(better?) piracy or ninjacy?

Re:Don't worry

[powerlord]

I don't think the theaters were ever crowded for Gigli....

But ... its the attempt thats important ... right? ;)

Re:Oh big brother

[Maltheus]

While I'll stand behind the war in Iraq, I'll march against stupidity like this. Expanding the DMCA is a joke.

I don't know, maybe the DCMA will prevent us from copying that war in Iraq over to Iran.

Re:Several reasons.

[digitig]

Oh, so I suppose Darth Vader would be considered liberal, because he could have slowly strangled the life from his enemies with their entrails, but he simply chose not to.

Yes, I suppose the RIAA might consider that liberal.