Dec. 30 – Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
Professor Doris Estelle Long authored column
Copyright owners found this holiday season a hollow one as anticipated relief against foreign pirate websites crashed in an acrimonious legislative session that foiled predictions that the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) would be enacted before year’s end.
Although SOPA’s future remains uncertain, potential relief from other sources could make 2012 a banner year for combating those rogue websites. SOPA has begun an international dialogue that may result in future legislation that provides copyright owners with new tools for fighting foreign piracy. In particular, SOPA attacks the money trail supporting rogue websites by requiring Internet service providers, search engine operators, operators of payment systems and Internet advertisers to take “technically feasible and reasonable measures” to prevent access, hyperlinks and compensation, respectively, to foreign websites “dedicated to the theft of U.S. property.”