A group of US senators want to hand the Department of Justice the power to shut down websites dedicated to the illegal file-sharing — including sites located abroad.
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BT, TalkTalk to take Digital Economy Act to High Court
The ISPs are worried the 'rushed' copyright crackdown legislation may be incompatible with EU rules on privacy and 'the role of ISPs in policing the internet'
"The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act will give the Department of Justice an expedited process for cracking down on these rogue websites regardless of whether the website's owner is located inside or outside of the United States," said senator Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and committee member senator Orin Hatch, in a statement.
According to a staffer from Leahy's office, if the site resides outside the United States, the bill would authorise "the attorney general to serve the court order on other specified third parties, such as internet service providers, payment processors and online ad network providers", in a bid to stop pirate websites profiting from US citizens.
For more on this ZDNet UK-selected story, see Lawmakers want power to shut down 'pirate sites' on CNET News.
Talkback
Uncle Sam "I own you!" ..... or it the title inflammatory?
So, just to be clear, local laws already cover copyright infringement, but USA wants the right to apply US laws to the internet as a whole? And no doubt Barosso will roll over and let them do that to Europe, just as long as EU gains more powers aswell???
Gosh, when President Glenn Beck is in power, I can't wait to see how he'll use such a power.
This is ridiculous! Each country has its own laws, and the U.S. has no right to interfere. This is typical of the king Obama administration.
Not quite the administration.
It is advocated by two rather old senators.
One from each of the two main parties.
'The best money can buy ? ?'