Earlier today Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he would delay a cloture vote on the Protect IP (Intellectual Property) Act (PIPA) bill and Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.) announced he will postpone further action on the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).
On January 14th the
White House’s announced its refusal to support the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).
While there had been high hope in the photography community that these bills might have been a first step to helping still photographers protect their work both now appear to be dead unless there are dramatic changes in strategy and a new approach to the problem.
For those interested in understanding the various aspects of this very complex problem the MasurLaw firm in New York that specializes in technology, ventures and entertainment law has provided a brief 5-page summary of the two bills, the positions of the proponents and the criticisms that have been leveled against both bills. Check out this
link.
Simultaneously the
Washington Post reported today that the Justice Department has shutdown Megaupload as part of a federal indictment that accused the company of running an international criminal organization that allows consumers to easily watch or share pirated content. The site’s offerings included movies, in some cases before they were released in theaters, pornography and illegally copied video games according to federal officials.