Senator Takes a Swing at RIAA

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), who introduced the Consumers, Schools, and Libraries Digital Rights Management Awareness Act of 2003, a bill that addresses privacy and digital rights management: "There are no checks, no balances, and the alleged pirate has no opportunity to defend themselves. My colleagues, this issue is about privacy, not piracy."

The legislation would require owners of digital media to file a John Doe lawsuit to obtain the identifying information of an Internet user, rather than simply requesting a subpoena.

Currently, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act permits copyright holders to subpoena an Internet service provider for the name and address of a person they believe is violating a copyright. The one-page subpoena request can be issued by a court clerk and doesn't require a judge's signature.

Brownback said the DMCA subpoena process raises serious privacy and due-process concerns. [Wired]

California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer: "The question is whether this committee will stand behind our copyright laws or change those laws and inadvertently encourage theft." [Lawmakers Defend Music-Lawsuit Methods]