Songwriters Thankful: Obama And DOJ Putting Pirates And IP Thieves On Notice

Washington, DC (Top40 Charts/ SGA) - Just days after the Nation celebrated Thanksgiving, Attorney General Eric Holder, along with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement team (ICE), have given songwriters and other first-order creators a reason to give thanks as well. After more than a decade of rampant piracy of music, movies and other copyrighted materials via the Internet, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) along with ICE, moved to close 82 websites charged with trafficking in stolen goods. The act was part of "Operation In Our Sites 2.0"- a program launched under the Obama administration to target the theft of intellectual property.

Said Holder, "By seizing these domain names, we have disrupted the sale of thousands of counterfeit items, while also cutting off funds to those willing to exploit the ingenuity of others for their own personal gain. Intellectual property crimes are not victimless. The theft of ideas and the sale of counterfeit goods threaten economic opportunities and financial stability, suppress innovation and destroy jobs. The Justice Department, with the help of our law enforcement partners, is changing the perception that these crimes are risk-free with enforcement actions like the one announced today."

President of the Songwriters Guild of America Rick Carnes responded, saying, "We commend the Obama administration for putting pirates and thieves on notice by this action. We also encourage the administration to further its anti-piracy efforts, because American creators are a great engine for U.S. job production."