[Ecommerce] [More Ashcroft quotes]

[Manon Ress]

Priceless quote?:

"Ashcroft said the Justice Dept. under him would lean toward protecting
copyright holders even when some legal issues are still in dispute and
others are looking to utilize intellectual property.

"I don't think we have a public domain attitude," he said."

END of QUOTE

BTW if you've seen the DOJ report suggesting future legislation
criminalizing attempted violations of copyright law etc., let me know.
Manon

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/variety/20041012/va_fi_ne/ashcroft__justice_to_favor_rights_1

Movies - Variety

Ben Fritz, STAFF

Declaring it "the most aggressive, ambitious and far-reaching effort to
protect intellectual property and counter intellectual property theft,"
Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft (news - web sites) came to Los Angeles on
Tuesday to officially unveil a six-month effort to develop a federal
antipiracy strategy.

Prepared by a task force that includes U.S. Attorney for Los Angeles
Debra Yang and consultation by reps from the film, music, software and
other industries that rely on copyrighted content, report calls for a
broad-based effort including stepped up enforcement and new legislation
( Daily Variety, Oct. 12).

The attorney general said the task force's recommendations are already
being implemented by the Justice Dept. "at an accelerated pace."

In a follow-up interview with Daily Variety, Ashcroft said antipiracy
prosecution would necessarily be a collective responsibility that
required the intimate involvement of movie studios, record labels and
other copyright holders to assist with investigations and educational
outreach.

"It's going to take people outside of government to both help us prepare
cases," he said, "and to report cases and to educate the public. We
don't think this is something that can just be relegated to the federal
government."

While Justice is supporting legislation to make extensive file-swapping
illegal and to outlaw peer-to-peer networks that enable piracy, Ashcroft
declined to comment on the pending appeal of the Grokster lawsuit to the
U.S. Supreme Court (news - web sites).

The MPAA and RIAA (news - web sites) are asking the court to consider
overturning an appellate ruling that decentralized P2P networks like
Grokster and Morpheus are not illegal. Many in Hollywood are wondering
if the DOJ will file a brief supporting the studio and label position.

Ashcroft spoke primarily of the principles that he said will guide the
Justice Dept. in its efforts to curb piracy. "What we are really wanting
to have as a community in America is one that develops technology and is
creative but doesn't let people use without penalty that technology to
impair creative works," he said.

Ashcroft said the Justice Dept. under him would lean toward protecting
copyright holders even when some legal issues are still in dispute and
others are looking to utilize intellectual property.

"I don't think we have a public domain attitude," he said.

Looking to demonstrate his commitment to the antipiracy effort in his
presentation, Ashcroft spoke repeatedly of the importance of
intellectual property to the American economy, citing statistics that it
accounts for 4% of U.S. employment and 6% of the nation's gross domestic
product.

The attorney general even drew on the scariest of associations, warning
that due to the lucrative nature of the crime, intellectual property
theft "risks becoming a potential source of financing for terrorists,"
although he cited no examples of a connection.

While he didn't cite specific figures, Ashcroft said Justice would be
shifting resources to support its stepped-up antipiracy effort and may
ask for additional appropriations from Congress.

The RIAA and MPAA both announced their strong support for the task force
recommendations.

"No Administration has ever mounted such a comprehensive approach to
defending America's gift to the world -- our creativity," commented RIAA
topper Mitch Bainwol.

Added MPAA head Dan Glickman: "The Motion Picture Assn. of America
applauds the aggressive recommendations in this report to bolster law
enforcement efforts against the theft of intellectual property around
the world."

The attorney general was scheduled to meet with Glickman later in the
day before traveling to San Jose to discuss copyright issues with
representatives from software companies.




--
Manon Anne Ress
Consumer Project on Technology
www.cptech.org
PO Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036
manon.ress@cptech.org, voice: 1.202.387.8030, fax: 1.202.234.5176


--
Manon Anne Ress
Consumer Project on Technology
www.cptech.org
PO Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036
manon.ress@cptech.org, voice: 1.202.387.8030, fax: 1.202.234.5176