A bipartisan bill unveiled Monday would make it easier for the Justice Department to shut down websites that traffic pirated music, movies and counterfeit goods.
Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee including chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) introduced the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act, which would create an expedited process for DoJ to shut down websites providing pirated materials.
“Each year, online piracy and the sale of counterfeit goods costs American businesses billions of dollars, and result in hundreds of thousands of lost jobs,” Leahy said in a statement. “Protecting intellectual property is not uniquely a Democratic or Republican priority — it is a bipartisan priority.”
“This much-needed bill will help law enforcement keep pace in shutting down websites that illegally sell copyrighted goods," Kohl said. "By cracking down on online piracy of television shows and movies, we hope this bill will encourage copyright owners to develop innovative and competitive new choices for consumers to watch video over the Internet."
Specifically the bill would authorize Justice to file an in rem civil action against domain names used to traffic infringing material. In order to obtain a preliminary court order against the owner of the domain or website, Justice would have to show the site's "substantial and repeated role in online piracy and counterfeiting."
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