Hatch bill targets copyright abuses

WASHINGTON — Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, wants to make it easier for artists to sue if Internet sites or software makers encourage youths to make illegal copies of copyrighted music, movies and other works.

"Some corporations distributing so-called 'peer-to-peer filesharing software' have hit upon a truly malicious business model," Hatch, who is a songwriter himself, told the Senate.

"These corporations know better than to break the law themselves so they profit from infringement by inducing users of their software to do the 'dirty work' of actually breaking the law. Because of about half of the users of this software are children, this for-profit piracy scheme mostly endangers children who are ill-equipped to appreciate the illegality or risks of their acts," he said.

Hatch added, "Tragically, some corporations now seem to think that they can legally profit by inducing children to steal. Some think they can legally lure children into breaking the law with false promises of 'free music.' "

Hatch said his "Inducing Infringement of Copyrights Act of 2004" would close loopholes that have allowed some software producers to escape lawsuits, and allow artists to sue those who intend to induce others to infringe copyrights.

The bill continues strong efforts by Hatch against peer-to-peer computer networks, or P2P, over the past year.

He and four other senators recently urged the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether such systems violate laws by allowing people to pirate copyrighted music, distribute pornography to unwitting P2P users because of misleading labels; and inadvertently allow others to remotely access all files on a user's computer.

He also gave a speech to the National Press Club to warn that youths who use such systems run the risk of inadvertent exposure to child pornography.

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