Entertainment Legal News

FBI, In Partnership With Entertainment And Software Industries, Announce Anti-Piracy Warning Initiative

Los Angeles, CA- The FBI, in conjunction with leaders from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA), and the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) today announced a broad initiative to combat the theft of copyright protected material -- a multi-billion dollar a year crime problem.

At a press conference at the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office, FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Jana Monroe highlighted the FBI's ongoing efforts and successes in addressing the growing number of criminal complaints. Also released at the press conference was an "Education Letter" designed to inform the public of the risks and vulnerabilities associated with sites where users exchange file information as well an introduction of the FBI's new "Anti-Piracy" seal and warning text to be displayed on future copyrighted materials.

"The theft of copyrighted material has grown substantially and has had a detrimental impact on the U.S. economy," said AD Monroe. "The FBI's Cyber Division recognizes the importance of the problem and stands ready to meet the challenge. Through working partnerships with other law enforcement entities, the Department of Justice, and industry, we will continue to devote significant resources in pursuit of those who steal copyright protected data."

Brad Buckles, RIAA, Executive Vice President and Director of Anti-Piracy, said "It is our hope that when consumers see the new FBI warning on the music they purchase, both physically and digitally, they will take the time to learn the do's and don'ts of copying and uploading to the Internet. As this seal attests, these are the serious crimes with serious consequences - including federal prosecution- to making unauthorized copies or uploading music without permission and consumers should be aware of them. We are grateful for the FBI's dedication to helping all copyright owners enforce their rights." "

Ken Jacobsen, MPAA, Senior Vice President and Director of World-Wide Anti-Piracy Operations, said, "With hundreds of thousands of jobs at stake nationwide, piracy is a serious threat to the entire entertainment industry. Motion Picture copyright theft losses are currently reaching $3.5 billion annually not including losses associated with the illegal downloading of movies off of the Internet. The MPAA has worked with the FBI to protect copyright material since the early 1970's with its first anti-piracy warning system. We applaud the FBI for its work on this critical issue thus far and look forward to continuing our collaboration on this important new initiative."

Keith Kupferschmid, SIIA, Vice President of Anti-Piracy Division said, "Piracy is not a victimless crime. A software program that reflects unprecedented technology, years of effort, and millions of development dollars can now be duplicated in minutes with the touch of a button. We are grateful for the FBI's willingness to take a leadership role in investigating those who engage in these egregious violations."

Ric Hirsch, ESA, Senior Vice President of Intellectual Property Enforcement, said, "This new seal will serve as a clear and important reminder to consumers that piracy of game products is illegal and may be subject to criminal enforcement."

The FBI's Cyber Division was created in response to the rapidly expanding and diverse nature of crimes being facilitated with computers. While the Division is managed from FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., there are currently 60 FBI-led Cyber Task Forces throughout the country which are uniquely positioned to investigate a wide range of violations -- often having international facets and national economic implications. Some of these violations include fraud, identity theft, child pornography, and copyright infringement. Additionally the Cyber Division supports Counterintelligence and Counterterrorism investigations by analyzing terrorist threats, foreign intelligence operations and criminal activities precipitated by the illegal intrusions into U.S. computer networks.

Within the Cyber Division is the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Center. The IPR Center was formed in 1999 in conjunction with the Department of Justice as part of a multi-agency plan to effectively improve the U.S. Government's efforts in IPR enforcement. The Center is co-chaired with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Washington, D.C. and serves as a hub for the collection, analytical support, and dissemination of intelligence involving IPR violations. These violations include: Theft of Trade Secrets, Copyright Infringement, Trademark Infringement, and Signal Theft. Additionally, the Center conducts training and has an outreach program with industries affected by IPR crime problems.

Contact our New York Entertainment Lawyers now and obtain a free case review!

	Did You Know?
	The title of Option is a defined factor When a creative entity, such as producer, artist, or studio, discovers a property and evaluates the rights status, they will, in most cases, attempt to negotiate an 'option' for the rights. An option is the right to acquire ownership of an intellectual property for a pre-determined amount of time. Size of the option payment often determines length of the agreement as well as how many forms of the rights will be included in the deal. While most option payments are subject to negotiation, script deals often work out to an even percentage of the purchase price.