FBI, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERTAINMENT
AND SOFTWARE INDUSTRIES, ANNOUNCE ANTI-PIRACY WARNING
INITIATIVE
Los Angeles,
CA- The FBI, in conjunction with leaders from the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),
the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA),
the Software and Information Industry Association
(SIIA), and the Entertainment Software Association
(ESA) today announced a broad initiative to combat
the theft of copyright protected material -- a multi-billion
dollar a year crime problem.
At a
press conference at the FBI's Los Angeles Field
Office, FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Jana
Monroe highlighted the FBI's ongoing efforts and
successes in addressing the growing number of criminal
complaints. Also released at the press conference
was an "Education Letter" designed to
inform the public of the risks and vulnerabilities
associated with sites where users exchange file
information as well an introduction of the FBI's
new "Anti-Piracy" seal and warning text
to be displayed on future copyrighted materials.
"The
theft of copyrighted material has grown substantially
and has had a detrimental impact on the U.S. economy,"
said AD Monroe. "The FBI's Cyber Division recognizes
the importance of the problem and stands ready to
meet the challenge. Through working partnerships
with other law enforcement entities, the Department
of Justice, and industry, we will continue to devote
significant resources in pursuit of those who steal
copyright protected data."
Brad
Buckles, RIAA, Executive Vice President and Director
of Anti-Piracy, said "It is our hope that when
consumers see the new FBI warning on the music they
purchase, both physically and digitally, they will
take the time to learn the do's and don'ts of copying
and uploading to the Internet. As this seal attests,
these are the serious crimes with serious consequences
- including federal prosecution- to making unauthorized
copies or uploading music without permission and
consumers should be aware of them. We are grateful
for the FBI's dedication to helping all copyright
owners enforce their rights." "
Ken Jacobsen,
MPAA, Senior Vice President and Director of World-Wide
Anti-Piracy Operations, said, "With hundreds
of thousands of jobs at stake nationwide, piracy
is a serious threat to the entire entertainment
industry. Motion Picture copyright theft losses
are currently reaching $3.5 billion annually not
including losses associated with the illegal downloading
of movies off of the Internet. The MPAA has worked
with the FBI to protect copyright material since
the early 1970's with its first anti-piracy warning
system. We applaud the FBI for its work on this
critical issue thus far and look forward to continuing
our collaboration on this important new initiative."
Keith
Kupferschmid, SIIA, Vice President of Anti-Piracy
Division said, "Piracy is not a victimless
crime. A software program that reflects unprecedented
technology, years of effort, and millions of development
dollars can now be duplicated in minutes with the
touch of a button. We are grateful for the FBI's
willingness to take a leadership role in investigating
those who engage in these egregious violations."
Ric Hirsch,
ESA, Senior Vice President of Intellectual Property
Enforcement, said, "This new seal will serve
as a clear and important reminder to consumers that
piracy of game products is illegal and may be subject
to criminal enforcement."
The FBI's
Cyber Division was created in response to the rapidly
expanding and diverse nature of crimes being facilitated
with computers. While the Division is managed from
FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., there are
currently 60 FBI-led Cyber Task Forces throughout
the country which are uniquely positioned to investigate
a wide range of violations -- often having international
facets and national economic implications. Some
of these violations include fraud, identity theft,
child pornography, and copyright infringement. Additionally
the Cyber Division supports Counterintelligence
and Counterterrorism investigations by analyzing
terrorist threats, foreign intelligence operations
and criminal activities precipitated by the illegal
intrusions into U.S. computer networks.
Within
the Cyber Division is the Intellectual Property
Rights (IPR) Center. The IPR Center was formed in
1999 in conjunction with the Department of Justice
as part of a multi-agency plan to effectively improve
the U.S. Government's efforts in IPR enforcement.
The Center is co-chaired with the U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Washington, D.C.
and serves as a hub for the collection, analytical
support, and dissemination of intelligence involving
IPR violations. These violations include: Theft
of Trade Secrets, Copyright Infringement, Trademark
Infringement, and Signal Theft. Additionally, the
Center conducts training and has an outreach program
with industries affected by IPR crime problems.