Better Enforcement of Online Copyright Would Help, Not Harm, Consumers

Legislation introduced in Congress last month (the “Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act”) would take an aggressive and needed stand against online piracy, a growing problem that hurts American consumers and costs Americans jobs. Critics of the legislation argue that this bill would hurt free speech, encourage censorship in foreign countries, and cripple the technological infrastructure on which the Internet runs. Not only is this criticism unfounded, but more robust enforcement of digital copyrights would likely lead to a stronger Internet ecosystem and more innovative content and services for consumers.