House Judiciary Subcommittee to Address Four Decades of IP Challenges in Internet Era

The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet announced a hearing scheduled for Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The hearing, titled "A Midlife Crisis? IP and the Internet After 40," will explore the evolving challenges in intellectual property (IP) protection and enforcement that have arisen during the Internet's four-decade history.

The session aims to address critical issues such as piracy, counterfeiting, and the proliferation of abusive digital replicas, which continue to complicate the enforcement landscape for U.S. intellectual property rights. As the Internet has matured, these concerns have grown increasingly complex, prompting legislative and policy considerations at both domestic and international levels.

Among the invited witnesses are Sean Astin, President of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), and Bhamati Viswanathan, a Non-Resident Fellow at Columbia Law School's Kernochan Center for Law, Media & Art. Their participation underscores the hearing's focus on the intersection of creative industries, legal frameworks, and technological developments.

The hearing will provide a platform for lawmakers and experts to discuss strategies to strengthen IP protections and enforcement mechanisms in the digital age. It will also consider how legislative and governmental policies can adapt to address ongoing and emerging threats to intellectual property rights.

This event reflects the broader recognition of the Internet's transformative impact on IP law and the necessity for updated approaches to safeguard creators and rights holders in a rapidly changing environment.