US senate passes camcorder bill to stop movie piracy

People who secretly videotape movies when they are shown in theatres could go to prison for up to three years under a bill approved unanimously by the United States Senate.

The Senate also voted late on Tuesday to stiffen penalties for hackers and industry insiders who distribute music, movies or other copyrighted works before their official release date.

The bill also shields "family friendly" services like ClearPlay that strip violent or sexually explicit scenes from movies.

That provision is less likely to please Hollywood groups, which say such services violate their copyrighted works by altering them without permission.

The measures were approved by both the Senate and the House of Representatives last year, but they did not become law because Congress adjourned without resolving minor differences between the two versions.

Copies of hit movies frequently show up on the internet while they're still in theatres, allowing skint fans to see new releases like The Incredibles without buying a ticket.

Pirates sneak camcorders into movie theatres to tape films directly off the screen, while some industry insiders leak copies to tech-savvy hackers before they're officially released.

The US Customs Department has estimated that these distribution groups are responsible for 95 per cent of all pirated material available online.

Those found guilty could face up to three years in prison, as well as lawsuits from copyright holders.

- REUTERS