House Committee Approves P2P File Sharing Bill

The House Commerce Committee passed two bills Wednesday dealing with protecting personal information online, including one that would establish new guidelines for some P2P file sharing. The Informed P2P User Act (HR 1319) requires that users of file-sharing programs are given "conspicuous notice" and required to opt in before the file sharing program is installed. It also requires those who market or distribute the programs to make it "reasonably simple" to block or remove the programs. But it also says it is not meant to discourage the legitimate uses of file-sharing technology. The bill as passed narrowed the definition of peer-to-peer services subject to the restrictions to those where sharing of personal data -- financial or health records -- was implicated. It specifically exempts e-mail, instant messaging, real time audio and video and real-time voice applications, its co-sponsor, Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) said at the hearing marking up the bills. Also passed out of committee was HR 2221, which sets federal standards for protecting personal information, including giving consumers more access to and control over, that information, and requires notice to consumers of data breaches.