Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) doesn't want to give up his DNS-based Interent blacklisting plans—but he's willing to put them on hold. One of the key drivers of the PROTECT IP Act in the Senate announced today that he will recommend stripping the DNS-blocking provisions from his bill while further technical studies are underway.(visit the link for the full news article)
The complaints against DNS-based blocking have been vocal ones. Leahy announced his plan today to introduce a "manager's amendment" to the current bill after hearing from "engineers, human rights groups, and... a number of Vermonters." Not that he's convinced
While these sorts of issues seem like they should have come up during drafting or during hearings on the bill, PROTECT IP has already moved out of committee and to the Senate floor, where it currently suffers a hold by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR). Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) will try to move the bill forward regardless on January 24, and the late change from Leahy appears designed to get the current legislation passed now rather than allow opposition to crystallize around a totally different approach, like the OPEN Act now being pitched by Wyden.
Leahy defended the bill, saying the ISP provisions were developed in consultation with major service providers. Several ISPs support the bill, he said in comments on Vermont Public Radio. However, sponsors of the bill have heard concerns about its effect on the domain name system from fellow lawmakers, Internet engineers, human rights groups and "a number of Vermonters," he said.
"I remain confident that the ISPs -- including the cable industry, which is the largest association of ISPs -- would not support the legislation if its enactment created the problems that opponents of this provision suggest," Leahy said. "Nonetheless, this is in fact a highly technical issue, and I am prepared to recommend we give it more study before implementing it."
Other provisions of the bill would allow the DOJ and copyright owners to seek court orders requiring online advertising networks and payment processors to stop doing business with websites accused of infringement. Those provisions would remain in the bill.
The amendment will allow the Senate to "focus on the other important provisions in this bill, which are essential to protecting American intellectual property online, and the American jobs that are tied to intellectual property," Leahy said."I regret that law enforcement will not have this [ISP] remedy available to it when websites operating overseas are stealing American property, threatening the safety and security of American consumers."
ISPs -- would not support the legislation if its enactment created the problems that opponents of this provision suggest,
Leahy said. "Nonetheless, this is in fact a highly technical issue, and I am prepared to recommend we give it more study before implementing it."
Leahy said."I regret that law enforcement will not have this [ISP] remedy available to it when websites operating overseas are stealing American property, threatening the safety and security of American consumers."
Originally posted by roaland
reply to post by optimus primal
True, but someone should tell the current administration that cause Obama wants every internet user to have an Internet ID, which would make all this and SOPA so much easier for the goverment to track down people with if he gets his way.
