The MPAA's most recent lobbying efforts have been disclosed via a form obtained by BitTorrent news website TorrentFreak, and it shows that Hollywood's lobbyist has been busy.
While the form does not show a particular position that the MPAA has taken, it does show the topics that it lobbied US lawmakers on.
For the most recent quarter, the MPAA focused its efforts on several issues. The most controversial perhaps is the issue of an Internet tax. The MPAA would most likely support such a tax, in some countries also referred to as a piracy tax. The tax would be levied on all downloads that have been recorded by your ISP, with some of the money used to "pay back" rights holders, including those that the MPAA represents, for potential losses due to piracy.
Such a tax would prove very unpopular, and there is currently a ban on such a tax courtesy of the Internet Tax Freedom Act. Unfortunately, the ban expires by December this year. A bill is currently pending in the US Senate to extend the ban, but the MPAA's lobbying efforts could see the bill fail to be passed.
The other controversy stance that the MPAA seems to have taken would be on the issue of Net Neutrality. Past actions by the MPAA shows that Hollywood is not particularly in favor of Net Neutrality. If ISPs can curb certain types of traffic, such BitTorrent traffic, and promote other types, such as content offered by the MPAA studios, this would break Net Neutrality but would be in the best perceived interests of the MPAA.
While the form does not show a particular position that the MPAA has taken, it does show the topics that it lobbied US lawmakers on.
For the most recent quarter, the MPAA focused its efforts on several issues. The most controversial perhaps is the issue of an Internet tax. The MPAA would most likely support such a tax, in some countries also referred to as a piracy tax. The tax would be levied on all downloads that have been recorded by your ISP, with some of the money used to "pay back" rights holders, including those that the MPAA represents, for potential losses due to piracy.
Such a tax would prove very unpopular, and there is currently a ban on such a tax courtesy of the Internet Tax Freedom Act. Unfortunately, the ban expires by December this year. A bill is currently pending in the US Senate to extend the ban, but the MPAA's lobbying efforts could see the bill fail to be passed.
The other controversy stance that the MPAA seems to have taken would be on the issue of Net Neutrality. Past actions by the MPAA shows that Hollywood is not particularly in favor of Net Neutrality. If ISPs can curb certain types of traffic, such BitTorrent traffic, and promote other types, such as content offered by the MPAA studios, this would break Net Neutrality but would be in the best perceived interests of the MPAA.
