MPAA Statement on IPEC Best Practices for Advertising Networks to Combat Online Piracy and Counterfeiting
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 15, 2013
WASHINGTON –The following is a statement from Senator Chris Dodd, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA) on the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator’s announcement of best practices for advertising networks to combat online piracy and counterfeiting:
“We applaud the IPEC’s interest and leadership in helping to protect the intellectual property rights of innovators and creators and its recognition that legitimate advertising should not be supporting illegal activity online. The presence of advertisements by well known brands on rogue web sites that illegally distribute movies and television shows creates the false impression that such sites are legitimate, fostering consumer confusion and harm. It also funds criminal enterprises and harms legitimate creators and distributors. The announcement today is recognition by online advertising networks of the important role they play to help ensure a safe and secure Internet for all.
However, an incremental step forward that addresses only a narrow subset of the problem and places a disproportionate amount of the burden on rights holders is not sufficient. Absent meaningful proactive steps by players in every sector – advertisers, ad agencies, ad placement services, online ad exchanges and rights holders – the results will be similarly incremental. It is our hope that all parties will work together and build upon today’s announcement. We encourage the Administration to continue its leadership and convene a meaningful and transparent multi-stakeholder process, with a goal of developing a comprehensive and effective response to significantly reduce the presence of legitimate advertising on illegal Internet sites.
Audiences benefit when legitimate sites flourish. That’s why the MPAA has created www.wheretowatch.org to help audiences find the movies and TV shows they love online legally and easily.”
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: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures; Paramount Pictures Corporation; Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.; Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation; Universal City Studios LLC; and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
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For more information, contact:
MPAA Washington, D.C.
Kate Bedingfield
(202) 293-1966