Internet theft is a job-killer, too

[Commentary] If there is any question about the need for the United States to crack down on foreign websites engaged in criminal commerce, one need only enter keywords such as "MP3," "DVDScreener," or "Oxycontin" into popular search engines and scroll through the countless pages of site listings and sponsored ads.

These listings feature everything from illegal copies of American art and entertainment products to adulterated baby formulas, counterfeit toothpaste containing chemicals found in anti-freeze, and phony medications, including those used to treat high blood pressure and mental illness. Theft of American products and ideas is no longer the hobby of teenagers with laptops; it's big business. As Congress debates legislation that would enable U.S. law enforcement to protect American businesses and consumers from foreign criminal enterprises on the Web, search engines such as Google are heavily lobbying lawmakers to allow the companies to continue to list illegal websites in search results. This loophole would render the bill virtually useless. Critics of this pending legislation need to be honest about the company they keep and why they essentially aid and abet these criminal endeavors.

(Aug 21)