As 2010 drew to a close, the battle against Internet theft won a key victory when the Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to recommend the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act for consideration and passage by the full Senate. The bill, sponsored by Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) together with a bipartisan group of 17 senators, will give U.S law enforcement agencies more effective tools to fight the foreign profiteers who threaten our members’ livelihoods by trafficking in stolen content. The "rogue websites" operated by these profiteers are a persistent and growing part of the Internet theft world:
Our content is so sought after, in fact, that Internet profiteers are springing up all over the world – individuals and businesses solely dedicated to using the Internet to create money-making websites that steal from our members and put the American public at risk. Rogue sites look legitimate, but make no mistake – these sites are illegal and they are trafficking in illegally-obtained content, with only one goal in mind – making money from films, television programs, and recordings that they had no role at all in creating or financing.... And they – most of whom do not create jobs themselves – will be willing to sacrifice the jobs of our members and the thousands of others who depend on the entertainment industry to make a living.
– September 29, 2010 letter from DGA, AFTRA, IATSE and SAG
to Chairman Leahy and Ranking Member Sessions
The DGA, an early and ongoing supporter of the rogue sites legislation, joined AFTRA, IATSE and SAG to issue several public statements expressing our belief that the legislation, if passed, will become a key element of the fight against Internet theft:
There are many voices in this debate, but we believe few have a more real stake in the outcome than our members. That is why protecting the films, television shows, sound recordings and other content made by our members and enjoyed by audiences around the world is all the more urgent given the monumental and unchecked growth of Internet theft in recent years. The forsaken jobs and looted revenues that are so casually disregarded by both the operators of rogue sites and those who seek to protect their illegal activity reflect real wages, residuals, benefits and opportunities lost to our members forever thanks to those who knowingly and purposely traffic in Internet theft.
We believe today’s committee action is the first step in making it much more difficult for rogue site operators to run their sites with impunity. We will continue to wholeheartedly support efforts such as this legislation that protect our members’ unique and essential contributions to American culture.
– November 18, 2010 statement from DGA, AFTRA, IATSE and SAG applauding
Senate Judiciary Committee action and urging full Senate to pass bill
On "Cyber Monday" just two weeks later, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that it had seized the domain names of 82 websites that were illegally engaging in Internet theft and hard-goods counterfeiting. The DGA again joined AFTRA, IATSE and SAG to praise the operation:
The actions taken by ICE in 'Operation in Our Sites II' to shutter websites selling counterfeit materials further advances a worldwide effort to stop digital theft. Without action, online theft will continue unabated and grow easier with every click of a mouse.... We believe the operators of these sites know they are in violation of the law, but continue with their illegal websites without regard to the thousands they are hurting financially. It is our hope that actions like 'Operation in Our Sites II' will act as a deterrent to those websites still up and running offering counterfeited goods, and that they will choose to shut down rather than face the same fate.
– December 1, 2010 statement from DGA, AFTRA, IATSE and SAG
commending ICE seizure of rogue websites
