The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) today released the 2017 Out-of-Cycle Review of Notorious Markets. Developed under the annual Special 301 process, the Notorious Markets list identifies online and physical marketplaces around the world that engage in and facilitate substantial copyright piracy. The following is a statement from Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, on today’s report.
“The American film and television industry is a key driver of the U.S. economy, supporting 2.1 million domestic jobs and registering a positive trade balance with nearly every country around the world. But asthe USTR report makes clear, online content theft undermines America’s creative economy. Illicit streaming devices (ISDs), specifically, represent a considerable and growing threat to the film and television community, with one study estimating that six percent of North American households have a device with Kodi software configured to access pirated content.
“USTR’s report rightly shines a much-needed spotlight on this specific type of notorious market, which impacts the livelihoods of so many American workers. We commend the USTR for highlighting global strategies to combat this ever-evolving threat, and look forward to working with USTR and the broader interagency team to protect and enforce U.S. intellectual property rights.”
The full report is available here.
