CRC Co-Chairs Reps. Chu and Collins Host Briefing on Creators, IP, and Online Advertising

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Creative Rights Caucus (CRC) hosted a briefing to educate Congress on how online advertising works and the role it can play in supporting creators. Speaking at the briefing were Reps. Judy Chu (CA-27) and Doug Collins (GA-09), co-chairs of the CRC; Scott Cunningham, Vice President of Technology and Ad Operations, Interactive Advertising Bureau; Ruth Vitale, CEO of Creative Future; and Mike Zaneis, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Interactive Advertising Bureau. The participants released the following statements:

Rep. Judy Chu, Co-Chair, Creative Rights Caucus:

“In today’s digital age, consumers can get content easier and faster than ever before. But this convenience can come at a cost to American workers and individual creators. In 2014, websites providing stolen content generated $209 million in advertisement revenue. This is not only bad for content creators, but also for American companies who may not know that their premium brands are being advertised on pirated websites. Today’s briefing highlights how advertisers and creators can work together to protect content online. Initiatives like the Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) are a promising step forward in bringing transparency to the digital advertising industry and stemming online piracy.”