MPAA, RIAA urge ICANN to do more about copyright infringement

[Shawn Knight]

In their continued fight against copyright infringement, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) are now turning their attention to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

Last month, MPAA sent a letter to ICANN in which they urged the organization to take strong action against the use of domain names for illegal and abusive activities which includes those related to copyright infringement.

A week ago, ICANN fielded a similar letter from RIAA in which the organization said it was disappointed with ICANN’s treatment of copyright abuse complaints and urged them to make domain name registries and registrars investigate copyright abuse complaints and take swift action.

The Washington Post recently questioned just how much ICANN could do to police the Internet with regard to movie and music piracy. Here’s what they found.

Back in 2013 when ICANN opened up top-level domains, it included a provision in its contract with the registries of the new top-level domains called Public Interest Commitments. Part of that agreement mandated that they’d only do business with domain name registrars that prohibited its customers from distributing piracy, trademark and copyright infringement in addition to a hose of other nefarious activities.

With that, ICANN suddenly finds itself in a sticky situation. If they are strong-armed into policing such sites, how do they go about doing it? Who comes up with a list of domains that should lose their place in the DNS? Should there be a review process? Will the accused get a chance to mount a defense?

Do you think ICANN should have the power to make such decisions? If so, does it set a dangerous precedent moving forward?

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/60012-mpaa-riaa-urge-icann-do-more-about-copyright.html

 

[Evernessince]

First off, who determines whether or not a site is conducting illegal activities? Judging by pass incidents (like megaupload), they not only took down illegal files but also many legal ones as well. What the heck are the people supposed to do when they are paying for a service but loose access to their files because one random user decided to upload content that isn't permissible to the draconian RIAA and MPAA?

What also constitutes punishment of the websites for the actions of it's users? Should websites with user generated content keep it in check? Yes but what the MPAA and RIAA want is for these websites to police everything for their copyrights for them. Everybody's experience is watered down due to their own incompetence and laziness.

Frankly, the MPAA and RIAA are only looking out for number one. They don't care about anyone but their pay check issuers and will stamp on internet rights to do so. Courts need to stand up to their aoe hammer approach to the internet.

 

[yRaz]

Banning domains of torrent sites from the DNS would do nothing but push them onto the TOR network which would then introduce every pirate (IE hundreds of millions of people) to the TOR network. Introducing that many people to the TOR network would be a disaster world wide for government agencies like the NSA.

I would love to see that happen.

 

[Guest]

I was talking to someone about this stuff just yesterday. Copyright is absolute balls.
It has nothing to do with protecting someones shizzle from internet pirate o mations.
It is just about all those useless middle men who have earnt money for doing f all.
They QQ about their loss of income, when they should be looking for a job where they ain't stealing out of the pockets of these peoples with the the ideas o plenty.

Example used was Radiohead releasing an album for free, and making more money themselves through donations, than through a record label that has so many people nibbling at the crusty edges of the cream pie.
Its disgusting.... Was it the film Gone with the Wind or something that was coming out of copyright, or a really old album by some artist, who may be alive or dead who cares, then they said, well people cant have it for free, no, we want to make more cash on that, change the goalposts please.

It has been said b4 that people who download put 1.5x as much as non pirates into the country. But people seem fixated on the torrenting numbers. Which is just horse crap ammo for these lobbyists who poor money into making new laws, re writing the goal posts, so that everyone is always in trouble and always having to line the useless *****s cheap suits with da mahoney.

Its not the laws that need to change, its capitalism, it does not work. Its whole basis for working would be fair trade, an item for a decent price of exchange, but these crooks have been around for ever stealing off the top.
We need a capitalism/facism/communism/buddhism crossbreed or something. Not this nazi capitalistic, this is how we steal ya monies, and this is how it is done, gestapo BS handed down to us by the rich Aholes, who don't even need the freaking money anyways.

Keep the poor poor. Pay your fines. Or just ignore these *****s who are just helping further to produce greed and ruin your countries. IF all these fat cats have all the money and hoarding it, how are your schools, hospitals, emergency services going to provide your people, with the proper health care, or see our kids smart enough in the future to get us off this planet they seem so intent to destroy? With their greed and wars for oil.
They have all the money, and then have rich lawyers and accountants help them avoid paying tax. So they never ever see the world as you do from their penthouse suites.

 

[RustyTech]

Guest, you may have had something good to say, but your short-hand approach made me lose my interest in reading.

Anywho...the MPAA and RIAA would probably want ICANN to do what they do: sue anyone and everyone who they darn please - change be damned.
Can you imagine them actually solving the whole issue behind pirating?? ...I sure can't see them do that.

 

[9Nails]

Sorry, but ICANN can do nothing. The RIAA/MPAA hold corporate interests, but they are not with authority of the law.

 

[Guest]

Heres my opinion on piracy and ill say it dead to the judges face in court too if im ever in the situation. "telling me I cant download a movie/music from someone and listen/watch for free is like saying if my friend were to go to walmart and buy a movie he wouldnt be allowed to invite me over to watch it" thats basically what youre saying to me. if you need to punish someone punish the person who uploaded it in the first place. not the downloaders. when you upload something to a torrent site you either A. bought it (which I would then bring my argument up from earlier" or B. you went behind some motion picture companies back and uploaded it or simply stole it. downloaders shouldnt be punished when theyre not truly a thief.