VP Biden: Unauthorized file sharers are thieves

Do people commit theft when they share unauthorized copies of film and music over the Internet? U.S. Vice President Joe Biden thinks so.

"We used to have a problem in this town saying this," Biden told reporters Thursday at a press conference in Washington, D.C. "But piracy is theft. Clean and simple. It's smash and grab. It ain't no different than smashing a window at Tiffany's and grabbing [merchandise]."

Biden spoke to the media alongside Victoria Espinel, the U.S. intellectual property enforcement coordinator, to introduce the government's strategy that included more than 33 recommendations on protecting the country's intellectual property. Through reporters, Espinel issued a warning to those who infringe on U.S. intellectual-property rights.

For more on this story, read Biden to file sharers: 'Piracy is theft' on CNET News.