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WASHINGTON—Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Cornyn (R-TX),
Members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, today introduced legislation
that would classify the illicit online streaming of copyrighted content a felony, and
bring it into line with other forms of content theft.
An entertainment industry coalition, including the Independent Film & Television
Alliance® (IFTA®), the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA) and
the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) praised the bill for
reconciling the current legal disparity between the unlawful distribution of content
through streaming and peer-to-peer (P2P) downloading.

“It is high time that the punishment fit the crime. Illegal streaming of stolen
content is growing and poses a threat to the profitability of movie theaters and to
the jobs of our 160,000 employees in the U.S.” said John Fithian, president and
CEO of NATO. “We thank Senators Klobuchar and Cornyn and recommend
bipartisan support for the passage of this important legislation.”
“The illegal streaming of copyrighted content is a scourge on the independent
film and television community, particularly the small and medium-sized
businesses without the resources to effectively enforce their intellectual property
rights,” said Jean Prewitt, IFTA President & CEO. “We strongly believe
government enforcement and consequences are the only effective remedies for
these types of illegal activities. We highly commend Senators Klobuchar and
Cornyn for this significant legislative proposal to ensure illegal streaming is
treated as seriously under the law as is illegal downloading.”

Michael O’Leary, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs for the MPAA,
added: “Criminals are stealing, trafficking, and profiting off the investment that
our workers devote to creating the quality films and TV shows that entertain a
worldwide audience and bolster the American economy. The online distribution
mechanisms utilized by thieves may differ, but to the 2.4 million American
workers whose livelihoods depend on our industry, the end result of content theft
is the same: lost jobs, declining incomes, and reduced health and retirement
benefits for them and their families. We thank Senators Klobuchar and Cornyn
for introducing this important legislation to standardize the legal treatment of
online content theft and helping ensure that federal law keeps pace with the changing face of criminal activity. We look forward to working with Members in
the House and Senate towards its swift passage.”

Under current federal law, a legal distinction exists between illegal streaming and
downloading – two methods of distributing the same stolen, digital content. This
legislation would make the illegal streaming of copyrighted works a felony,
thereby standardizing its criminal classification with that of illegal P2P
downloading, already a felony. In March, the Office of U.S. Intellectual Property
Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinel presented Congress with legislative
recommendations to improve IP enforcement efforts, which included clarifying
this aspect of intellectual property law.
COURTESY OF INDEPENDENT FILM AND TELEVISION ALLIANCE

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