ACLU Vote Recommendation for H.R. 2426, the CASE Act

In this letter to Congress, the ACLU urged Members of the House of Representatives to vote "NO" on H.R. 2426, the CASE Act, unless significant changes are made to protect the freedom of speech and due process. In general, the CASE Act would create a Copyright Claims Board within the Copyright Office that would be empowered to adjudicate copyright infringement claims and counterclaims for actual and statutory damages not to exceed $30,000. While the ACLU does not oppose the idea of creating a small claims process to allow copyright owners to assert infringement and be awarded damages for the harm caused, we believe that changes are needed to ensure adequate safeguards for due process and the protection of the freedom of speech for online users.