Posted on: Sunday, February 22, 2004

FBI's 'anti-piracy seal' optional for digital media

By Alex Veiga
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — The FBI is giving Hollywood film studios, music companies and software makers permission to use its name and logo on their DVDs, CDs and other digital media in hopes that the labels will deter consumers from making illegal copies.

FBI officials said Thursday that the idea was conceived jointly by the agency's cyber-crime division and representatives of the entertainment and software industries, who report they've lost billions of dollars to digital piracy.

"This anti-piracy seal should serve as a warning to those who contemplate the theft of intellectual property, that the FBI will actively investigate cyber-crimes and will bring the perpetrators of these criminal acts to justice," said Jana Monroe, assistant director of the FBI's cyber division.

Like the warning messages that have appeared on VHS tapes and DVDs for years, the new labels stipulate that unauthorized copying and distribution of digital content will be punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

It will be up to the individual entertainment companies and software manufacturers to decide whether to display the new FBI warnings. Representatives of trade groups for the film, software and music industries said members were studying whether to affix the warnings on packaging or directly on the CDs and DVDs, so it's unknown how soon they may begin to appear in stores.