The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a bill that would increase jail time for identity thieves and Web users who register sites under false identities.
The bill, which passed by voice vote, would not directly outlaw the use of fraudulent registration information.
Rather, it would increase by up to seven years the prison terms of those convicted of felonies.
The measure must be approved by the Senate before it becomes law.
Online investigators frequently find that suspects have filled out Web site registration records with clearly fraudulent information--providing "555-555-5555" as a phone number, for example, or listing a phony street address.
As many as 10 percent of the Internet's domain names may be registered under false identities, according to a study released last year.
"The government must play a greater role in detecting those who conceal their identities online," said Rep. Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican and a sponsor of the bill.
The bill would establish fines and jail time for those who use legitimate-looking labels to trick consumers into buying illegally copied music, software and other copyrighted materials.
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