Diverse group of advocacy organizations, intellectual property experts come together in opposition to Florida digital goods bill
WASHINGTON – Today, a diverse group of advocacy organizations issued a joint public statement in opposition to the True Origin of Digital Goods Act being considered by the Florida state Legislature. By requiring website owners and operators to provide personal identification information plainly on the website, including a user’s name, address, and either a telephone number or email address, the legislation would have a number of negative impacts, including hurting Florida’s economy. A full list of the organizations that signed onto the public statement is copied below.
“The True Origin of Digital Goods Act looks innocent, but in reality it would do more harm than good to Florida businesses and residents by fundamentally changing the infrastructure of the Internet, stifling future innovation, jeopardizing Florida jobs and attacking First Amendment rights.
“If passed, the bill would impinge on free speech and undoubtedly result in abuse and clog Florida’s courts with frivolous injunctions. Under current federal law, copyright owners already have the full power of the courts if they want to identify who operates a website devoted to piracy. Existing laws, like the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, lay out avenues for copyright holders to notify websites of infringement. While we recognize the Florida state Legislature’s goal of putting a stop to illicit online behavior, this legislation goes far beyond that. We encourage members to heed our warnings about the consequences of passing this harmful legislation and support First Amendment rights.”
In addition to the groups who issued today’s public statement, other prominent organizations have opposed the True Origin of Digital Goods Act. The Florida Press Association raised concerns about potential manipulation and cautioned against abusive plaintiffs who try to use a subpoena or early discovery powers to track down their critics’ identity, citing First Amendment protections.
The joint public statement was issued by: the American Library Association, Center for Democracy & Technology, New America’s Open Technology Institute, Public Knowledge and the R Street Institute.
