Criminal Prosecution a Route to Tackling Streaming Piracy, FSF Says

Criminal prosecution of violations is "a necessary alternative means" for stopping digital piracy, given its huge economic scope, and Congress should update criminal copyright law to make online piracy via streaming a felony, Free State Foundation President Randolph May and Senior Fellow Seth Cooper wrote Monday. They said criminal prosecution of copyright violations isn't common, with seven such prosecutions in the 12 months ended in mid-2017, and 23 annually on average over the prior five years. They said willful copyright infringement via online streaming is a misdemeanor, though willful infringement via download is a felony when statutory minimums are satisfied. FSF said Congress should give federal law enforcement officials more tools such as authority to seek wiretaps to obtain evidence of suspected criminal copyright activities.