The Intellectual Property Bill was passed last week by the US Senate, but not before a provision that would have allowed the Department of Justice to directly sue copyright infringers on behalf of the movie and music industries. Still, many feel that the passing of the bill favors big media companies at a time when digital content has proven to favor more open distribution models.

Last week the Senate passed the PRO-IP Act. Although the portion of the bill that would turn the DoJ into copyright cops was dropped, it still contains greater penalties for infringement, and will create a ‘piracy czar' to manage enforcement. The Bush administration dumped the controversial civil copyright enforcement provision saying it would turn the DoJ into pro bono lawyers.