LA County to Hold Property Owners Responsible for Piracy

New ordinance holds property owners accountable for the manufacture and sale of pirated movies and music on their premises much in the same way they do drugs, prostitution, and gang-related activity.

A few days ago the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance that holds property owners accountable for the possession and sale of counterfeit goods on their premises.

Using civil nuisance abatement procedures, the ordinance is intended to "...help address the problems associated with properties used for the possession and sale of counterfeit goods in the unincorporated areas of the County
through civil nuisance abatement procedures."

“This ordinance is an important milestone in our efforts to curb piracy in Los Angeles. The City and County of Los Angeles have taken the reigns of the Los Angeles Anti-Piracy Task force and have provided tremendous leadership on this issue. In its approval of this ordinance, the Board of Supervisors have officially recognized that piracy isn’t just an industry problem, but one that has a significant impact on the local economy as well. We are extremely appreciative of Supervisor Yaroslavsky’s efforts to gain support for this ordinance,” said Dan Glickman, Chairman and CEO of the MPAA.

RIAA head Mitch Bainwol is also ecstatic about the plan: “The City of Los Angeles serves as a music mecca that thrives and relies on the contributions of the entertainment industries. Strong protection of intellectual property is necessary in order to maintain its vibrancy and economic health. This ordinance gives new teeth to a comprehensive effort to reduce counterfeiting and piracy – which costs thousands of local jobs and millions of dollars in revenue – throughout the City and County. We thank Supervisor Yaroslavsky for his continuing leadership on these issues, as well as the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors and County Counsel for their efforts.”

Yet, what's disturbing is that it hold property owners accountable for the illegal actions of others. Unlike say drugs or prostitution which have a dramatic effect on the health of a neighborhood, bootleg movies and music do little more than satisfy the needs of people usually unable to afford an internet connection to download them on their own, or the high price of movie fare or new albums.

Does a $5 bootleg CAM really pose a nuisance to a neighborhood to the extant that crackhouses and hookers do?

Apparently the LA County Board of Supervisors does.

“At the end of the day, these counterfeiters and pirates are stealing other people's creative labor, abridging their rights and destroying their intellectual property value. And when you peddle those stolen intellectual goods out on the street, it’s no different than highway robbery,” said County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavksy. “We’ll continue to work with the Sheriff and District Attorney within our jurisdiction, but I’d like to see the Legislature take up this fight statewide. In the meantime, we’ll continue to work with our industry partners and friends in the City of L.A. and elsewhere to enforce and expand the reach of this ordinance and seek out new ways to combat this problem.”

Yes, let's find a new way to seize the property of private citizens for the illegal activity of OTHERS. If you were a property owner is it really your responsibility to enforce the law on others or is it law enforcement's, you know, the ones with guns, badges, and that whole "To Protect and Serve" oath thing?

Only in LA, the heartland of Hollywood, could such an entertainment industry protection ordinance be enacted.