California Republican Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet, has introduced legislation aimed at thwarting foreign online piracy and protecting American creators from websites distributing stolen content.
Specifically, H.R. 10364, billed as the American Copyright Protection Act, would permit copyright owners to seek a federal court determination that a foreign website is engaged in copyright piracy. Once that determination is made, a copyright owner may petition the court to require internet service providers to take commercially reasonable steps to prevent access to the site in the United States.
The legislation also includes safeguards to protect legitimate websites, internet users, and service providers, including an opportunity for affected parties to contest or modify blocking orders and requirements that courts consider technical feasibility, potential unintended harm, and the public interest.
“Every day, Americans produce unique and original work that are enjoyed around the world, and just as often, foreign piracy steals their content and profits from it – all beyond reach of current our law,” Issa said. “The American Copyright Protection Act establishes the tools to fight back, ensure due process, and safeguard legitimate online services.”
Charles Rivkin, Chairman/CEO of the Motion Picture Association, was pleased with the introduction of the act, which the organization believes “would establish a long overdue judicial site blocking framework to combat digital piracy in the United States. For more than a decade, site blocking has been widely and effectively deployed around the world in countries that uphold free speech, democratic values, and a well-functioning internet. The ACPA’s introduction is an important step towards the U.S. joining its democratic peers in employing this vital tool — and joins a growing bipartisan, bicameral effort to protect creators and consumers from the threat of piracy. We look forward to working with Rep. Issa and his colleagues in the House and Senate on both sides of the aisle to enact this important policy into law.”
— Reporting and Editing by RBR+TVBR, in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
