Obama Admin Targets Intellectual Property Infringement, Counterfeit Goods

The Obama administration unveiled a government-wide intellectual property strategy to crack down on piracy and the sale counterfeit goods today in Washington. The plan calls for adding more than 50 FBI agents by the end of the year that will be dedicated to tackling the "problem of intellectual property infringement." Vice-President Joe Biden, Attorney General Eric Holder, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Federal Drugs Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg attended the meeting. The plan also calls for the U.S. government to target web sites in other countries - we assume - through international cooperation.

Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinel said that her office will review current efforts to curb intellectual property infringement of U.S. goods abroad, particularly in China which is a major source of counterfeit goods. According to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection report published last year, 79 percent of fake goods seized by officials emanated from.

Vice President Joe Biden, who announced the new program today, said that the "problem" costs Americans jobs and counterfeit goods threatened lives. He used knock-off tires and prescription drugs as examples.

Naturally trade groups looking for more support from the government when it comes to intellectual property rights enforcement and combating piracy were happy with the news. Trade groups including the Motion Picture Association of America and Recording Industry Association of America, who claim to be deeply wounded by the sale of pirated movies and illegal music downloads. The game industry had a positive reaction to the news as well, according to some sources.