* *

    */ /*

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    Tuesday, July 24, 2007

     

    *GLICKMAN PRAISES SENATE FOR TAKING MAJOR STEPS TO COMBAT DIGITAL
    PIRACY ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES*

     

    /Washington, D.C./ - - The United States Senate today passed an
    amendment to the Higher Education Reauthorization Act that requires
    universities, for the first time,  to provide information on efforts
    they are making to educate students on digital piracy and  detect
    and prevent piracy on university computer systems.  Motion Picture
    Association of America (MPAA) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
    Dan Glickman commended Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for his
    leadership on this critical issue.  Movie piracy is rampant among
    college students, accounting for more than half a billion dollars
    loss to the U.S. industry annually. 

     

    “Piracy costs the U.S. film industry over $6 billion annually which
    means lost jobs and revenue for the American economy,” said
    Glickman.  “Some college students are abusing powerful taxpayer
    funded computer networks to download and distribute movies and other
    copyrighted material which is why we are committed to working with
    universities to develop and implement plans to address this
    problem.  We commend Senator Reid for his leadership in getting this
    important legislation passed through the Senate which will help
    encourage universities to do more.”

     

    Motion picture piracy results in total lost output among U.S.
    industries of $20.5 billion annually.  It costs $5.5 billion in lost
    U.S. wages.  Absent piracy in the U.S., 141,000 jobs would have been
    created and $837 million in additional tax revenue.  Forty four
    percent of the total loss to the U.S. film industry is attributable
    to campus piracy.     

     

    According to the language adopted today, all universities will be
    required to provide information to the Department of Education
    describing:

        * Education efforts for students on the potential civil and
          criminal consequences for the unauthorized distribution of
          copyrighted material.
        * Steps they are taking to prevent and detect unauthorized
          distribution of copyrighted materials on university networks.
        * Campus policies on unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing,
          including disciplinary actions against individuals who engage
          in the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material on
          university computer systems. 

     

    Glickman added, “We look forward to working with Members of the
    House who are also interested in this important issue when they take
    up this legislation in the fall.” 

    */ /*


      */About the MPAA/*

    /The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA) serves as
    the voice and advocate of the American motion picture, home video
    and television industries from its offices in Los Angeles and
    Washington, D.C. Its members include: Buena Vista Pictures
    Distribution; Paramount Pictures; Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.;
    Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation; Universal City Studios LLLP;
    and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc./

     

    # # #