There’s little so amiable to college students as free stuff, but now the Bush Administration is cracking down on piracy laws, so say goodbye to Entourage Season Nine Hundred (or so it feels) and James Bond Quantum of Solace. You aren’t safe in your dorm room anymore if you’re frequenting LimeWire, and not only that, neither is your computer since the new regulations allow for the confiscation of downloading tools.

Reuters reports:

President George W. Bush signed into law on Monday a controversial bill that would stiffen penalties for movie and music piracy at the federal level.

The law creates an intellectual property czar who will report directly to the president on how to better protect copyrights both domestically and internationally. The Justice Department had argued that the creation of this position would undermine its authority.

The law also toughens criminal laws against piracy and counterfeiting, although critics have argued that the measure goes too far and risks punishing people who have not infringed.

Public Knowledge particularly opposed a measure that allowed for the forfeiture of devices used in piracy.

"Let's suppose that there's one computer in the house, and one person uses it for downloads and one for homework. The whole computer goes," said Public Knowledge spokesman Art Brodsky.

Brodsky argued that, at best, the bill was unnecessary because the recording and movie industry had the right to take accused infringers to court.

The regulations are really a bit stringent, and Brodsky, a UMD and Northwestern alum, is on the money about the excessive disciplinary action attached to the new bill. To be fair though, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates that piracy costs the U.S. $250 billion per year, which is no small sum. College students, prepare for the comeback of the movie rental.