The bill also increases both criminal and civil penalties for IP infringement, as well as adding forfeiture of computer equipment used for such infringement by the IP Enforcement office.
Bloggers across the internet have attacked the bill as draconian, many seeing a direct relationship to comments made earlier this year by NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker that the creation of such an agency is critical to the well being of the country's economy.
A statement from NBC Universal regarding the current Judiciary Committee bill said “Piracy and counterfeiting have become a worldwide pandemic of crime. If we are to turn the tide, we must significantly step up our effort to protect intellectual property on many fronts. The bold mandate in this legislation for high-level executive leadership–starting at the White House and the Department of Justice–and for dedicated prosecutorial, investigative and international resources will dramatically advance the cause of protecting U.S. innovation, technological invention and creativity.”
Meanwhile a group of 25 prominent law professors from around the country sent a letter to Representative Conyers decrying the bill as unfair because of the threefold increase in civil penalties introduced.
Sources:
Variety
CNet News
Law Professors' Letter To Representative Conyers
Digital Daily