Hollywood Reporter
The Obama administration on Tuesday announced the first-ever strategic plan on intellectual property enforcement, which is intended to both boost and better coordinate efforts to stop piracy at home and abroad, online and through physical sales for American products including music, movies, TV shows, video games and more. “To state it very bluntly, piracy hurts,” Vice President Joe Biden said at a White House announcement. “It hurts our economy, our health and our safety.” Victoria Espinel, Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, prepared a report on enforcement of intellectual property laws, which was also released Tuesday. It includes efforts to boost enforcement by the FBI, the State Department, the Library of Congress and many others. According to the report, motion picture and video piracy cost the U.S. economy $20.5 billion annually in lost output, $5.5 billion annual in lost earnings for U.S. workers and 141,030 jobs that would otherwise have been created. As a result, governments at all levels are deprived of $837 million annually in lost tax revenue. In May, the Justice Department launched Operation Global Hoax as a multinational effort to crack down on pirated movie and music products. In July they will coordinate the effort with 35 countries. Espinel warned pirates: “We’re committed to putting you out of business.” Hollywood guilds SAG, AFTRA, IATSE and the DGA praised the administration for recognizing that strong enforcement encourages innovation and means more jobs. “Internet theft is not a victimless crime as some would like policymakers to believe,” the guilds said. “It has a direct and very real impact on our members’ livelihoods.” Praise for the place also comes from The Walt Disney Company, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Brothers and Fox. A Senate hearing is scheduled for Wednesday in Washington on IP enforcement. Among those set to speak are Meyer and David Hirschmann of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.