The Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act of 2008 will have societal implications for those that deserve protection for their intellectual property rights and those that look to infringe on those same rights.
New laws and committees formed under the 2008 Act have created stronger and new penalties for people who infringe on the intellectual property rights of original creators. Provisions to the previous Act call for civil action to be taken on copyright pirates and greater rewards and protection for those who have been violated.
Section 101 of the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act of 2008 states that those who are guilty of criminally infringing on the intellectual property rights of a creator are open to not only criminal charges but a civil suit as well. This can not only land violators in prison, but also seize all their assets, property and money earned from pirating as well as cost them any other monetary damages deemed necessary by a judge.
The section also calls for no disclosure on seized records relating to infringement cases. This will help keep information regarding copyrighted material private if the creator had intentions of not fully going public with a copyrighted work.
Section 104 of the 2008 Act calls for minimum and maximum penalties to be doubled if one of two things occur:
If a violator conspires to involve another person in a piracy plan.
If someone provides material and services necessary to aid in a piracy plan.
Section 201 allows for the revision of penalties for pirates who are repeat offenders, cause bodily harm or cause death as a result of their piracy operation. New civil and criminal penalties may be made for individual cases as well as increased restitution for those who had their intellectual property rights violated.
Section 203 of the Act is concerned with increasing penalties for pirates who export other people's intellectual property to foreign nations. This action greatly affects United States commerce as well as the commerce that can be earned by a creator of a copyrighted work.
Section 322 requires a report from agencies established by the 2008 Act to the President and Congress detailing the actions taken and future plans to combat piracy. This plan is to also be shared with the public.
