{"id":19856,"date":"2011-05-13T12:04:31","date_gmt":"2011-05-13T20:04:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/198.46.88.49\/?p=19856"},"modified":"2011-05-13T12:05:57","modified_gmt":"2011-05-13T20:05:57","slug":"death-penalty-bill-could-force-websites-to-kill-traffic-to-copyright-infringement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/198.46.88.49\/electrotech\/death-penalty-bill-could-force-websites-to-kill-traffic-to-copyright-infringement","title":{"rendered":"‘Death Penalty’ Bill Could Force Websites to Kill Traffic to Copyright Infringement"},"content":{"rendered":"
CNET is reporting<\/a> that a Senate bill backed by “movie studios and other large copyright holders” with bipartisan support from Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D) and\u00c2\u00a0Orrin Hatch (R), among others, would give the government the power to force search engines to filter sites from their listings, and any other “information location tool” to remove links to the site; effectively wiping away any traces of the website in the US.<\/p>\n The bill would also give copyright holders the right to seek a levy that blocks financial transactions with the website, and adds the site to an Internet advertising blacklist. Presumably, advertising networks would be forced to cut ties to any websites accused of copyright infringement, and refuse future business.<\/p>\n While the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) is the most public voice behind the bill, it’s not difficult to imagine protective fashion brands like Christian Louboutin<\/a>, Louis Vuitton<\/a> and others who’ve struggled with increasingly well organized<\/a> and well funded counterfeit sellers<\/a> online supporting the bill as well.<\/p>\n In a statement, Leahy said the proposed law would enable the government to “crack down on rogue Web sites dedicated to the sale of infringing or counterfeit goods.”<\/p>\n For Milanoo, the Chinese e-commerce store that received a multi-million dollar investment on the back of counterfeit fashion sales<\/a> outside of China, the law could give brands teeth in pushing offenders out of the American market, but there are a number of reasons we don’t see this working.<\/p>\n