IP Czar Issues Recommendations to Congress, Including Wiretaps and Greater Sentences for Infringement
IP Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinel has issued a white paper that lists 20 legislative recommendations to Congress for the strengthening of IP enforcment. The paper recommends increasing prison sentences for the sale of counterfeiting drugs or products sold to military and law enforcement. It recommends changing the U.S. Sentencing Guideline Range for a number of specific infringements and for “repeat intellectual property offenders.” The paper recommends felony penalties for illegal streaming, and the authorization of wiretaps for investigations of copyright infringement. Although it makes no specific recommendations related to foreign-hosted websites that distribute infringing material, the paper says that the administration is eager to work with Congress on this issue.
