TechSpot - PC Technology News and Analysis

In what is becoming a growing trend for both public perception and the law, the “Pro-IP” Act that has been pushed through the U.S. Government for some time has made advancement in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill, while still controversial, passed only after an even more controversial section regarding copyright infringement was removed. The original proposal would have made the fines and penalties for the horrible crime of sharing music much more severe.

Even with that section removed, the bill still makes piracy in general a much nastier crime, allowing law enforcement to seize property of people who are convicted of piracy. Perhaps the intent is targeted at large piracy and counterfeit rings to get shutdown easier, but it also means that a “John Doe” targeted by the RIAA could end up getting their one and only laptop pilfered from them due to having shared music. It's a sticky mess, and it's no great surprise that the RIAA has backed the bill from the very beginning.