MPAA plans to sue movie file swappers News
MPAA plans to sue movie file swappers

[JURIST] Hollywood studio officials said Thursday that they will begin to file hundreds of lawsuits against individuals who file share pirated movies over the internet. According to MPAA head Dan Glickman, the decision to file lawsuits was not easy, but he hopes a preemptive strike will prevent online file sharing of movies from spinning out of control. The MPAA estimates that the industry loses over $3 million per year because of illegal movie piracy. The lawsuits, to be filed in late November, would seek civil penalties up to $30,000 per download and up to $150,000 for willful infringement. AP has more. The MPAA has its policy against anti-piracy online.

THIS DAY @ LAW

No lynchings reported in US for first time

On December 30, 1952, the Tuskegee Institute reported that 1952 was the first year of no lynchings of African Americans in the United States in the 71 years it had kept records. Learn more about lynching and listen to Billie Holiday's jazz recording of the 1938 protest song Strange Fruit.

USSR established

On December 30, 1922, representatives of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and the Transcaucus approved the Treaty on the Creation of the USSR and the Declaration of the Creation of the USSR, creating the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). During World War II, the USSR would also annex Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Moldova. Learn more about the history of the USSR from the BBC.