Andre Yoskowitz
6 May 2008 15:08
The New York Attorney General has proposed a new legislation this week, one that would inflict heaver penalties and punishments on "cammers", people who record movies in theaters illegally and then distribute them or sell them directly.
The new legislation will make camming a felony offense for repeat offenders. The Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo, says the legislation is designed partially to fight "the economic harm" that is caused by movie pirates. He added that those who sell counterfeit items costs the city's taxpayers 140,000 jobs annually.
Of course the MPAA applauded the move, and added that "U.S. film studios lost $6.1 billion in 2005 to piracy globally."
"This is modern-day organized crime," Cuomo said, adding in a statement: "The wide distribution of pirated films originating from New York costs our state vital economic resources, including thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in tax revenue."
The newly dubbed "Piracy Protection Act" would make illegal recording a misdemeanor (like a parking ticket) for a first time offender and a felony for repeat offenders. For a misdemeanor, the fine is $1000 USD and up to one year in jail. Cuomo did not say exactly how much worse the penalties were for a felony offense.
NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker joined Cuomo in announcing the legislation and added, "Enhanced penalties and specialized, dedicated enforcement resources are key to fighting piracy and counterfeiting."