Crack down on illegal downloading 2010

In recent years, the state has tried to increase inspections and mete out sanctions in an effort to crack down on piracy. Several hundred inspections or raids by Romanian police were carried out last year alone at over 1, companies, while local courts handed down 25 sentences for software piracy, figures that roughly mirror the situation in Piracy penalties include between one and four years in prison and a fine for individuals.

If the Motion Picture Association of America, the recording industry or other copyright owners send a complaint to the university, the student with the illegal files is ordered to delete them and fill out an online security quiz. In , KU had complaints and in had So far this year, complaints have been received. The University of Florida restricts the use of many peer-to-peer, or P2P, file-sharing programs often used for illegal file-sharing. Pennsylvania State University did the same, but created its own P2P network called Lionshare and customized it for academia.

The panel can then call on a judge, who will have four days to hear arguments from the parties involved before ruling on whether to shut down a site. The measure, which must be approved by Parliament, is aimed at placating entertainment industry groups that claim they are losing millions of euros dollars through Internet piracy of copyright-protected material.

The proposals are more moderate than those of other European countries such as France, where Internet access to people who download illegally can be cut. On Friday French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand inaugurated the new authority overseeing the protection of rights on the Internet, and said the first written warnings to people suspected of illegal downloading would be sent in spring. Story Highlights National Assembly passes bill by to , a day after the Senate approves it Bill replaces a tougher version of the legislation that was rejected as unconstitutional Measure imposes fines and prison terms for illegal downloads Musicians, filmmakers, and other artists complain Internet users steal their work.

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