I'm honestly at a loss for words right now considering this is going to effect the way we upload our video content on sites like JustinTV or YouTube if this shit gets passed through the United States government and big name sites have to start enforcing it on everyone in different countries.
For those of you who don't know what Bill S.978 is or didn't watch the video by David [X for short], I will copy and paste the bill in its entirety and then provide a link to this so you know that I'm not making this shit up.
May 12, 2011 - Reported in Senate. This is the text of the bill after coming out of committee in the Senate. This is the latest version of the bill currently available on GovTrack.
S 978 RS
Calendar No. 77
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 978
To amend the criminal penalty provision for criminal infringement of a copyright, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 12, 2011
Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself, Mr. CORNYN, and Mr. COONS) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
June 20 (legislative day, June 16), 2011
Reported by Mr. LEAHY, without amendment
A BILL
To amend the criminal penalty provision for criminal infringement of a copyright, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CRIMINAL INFRINGEMENT OF A COPYRIGHT.
(a) Amendments to Section 2319 of Title 18- Section 2319 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
‘(2) shall be imprisoned not more than 5 years, fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both, if--
‘(A) the offense consists of 10 or more public performances by electronic means, during any 180-day period, of 1 or more copyrighted works; and
‘(B)(i) the total retail value of the performances, or the total economic value of such public performances to the infringer or to the copyright owner, would exceed $2,500; or
‘(ii) the total fair market value of licenses to offer performances of those works would exceed $5,000;’; and
(2) in subsection (f), by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
‘(2) the terms ‘reproduction’, ‘distribution’, and ‘public performance’ refer to the exclusive rights of a copyright owner under clauses (1), (3), (4), and (6), respectively of section 106 (relating to exclusive rights in copyrighted works), as limited by sections 107 through 122, of title 17;’.
(b) Amendment to Section 506 of Title 17- Section 506(a) of title 17, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(C), by inserting ‘or public performance’ after ‘distribution’ the first place it appears; and
(2) in paragraph (3)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘or public performance’ after ‘unauthorized distribution’; and
(B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘or public performance’ after ‘distribution’.
Calendar No. 77
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 978
A BILL
To amend the criminal penalty provision for criminal infringement of a copyright, and for other purposes.
June 20 (legislative day, June 16), 2011
Reported without amendment
SOURCE
This means that anything that has been uploaded on YouTube without legal copyright permissions, will result in possible felony charges and would change the way that we upload our commentaries, reviews, etc. It might not seem like a big deal to some, but this bill would affect a lot of big name sites because they would either have to obtain the copyrights to a product just to be uploaded by a single person or they would have to remove everything that pertains to what this bill states and affect the lives of those who make a living off of what they enjoy doing as it is protected under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and Fair Use.
I will state one thing, do not pull the country card in any posts. Keep in mind that if this bill is passed, sites like YouTube will have to abide by these standards which means it will affect everyone.
Discuss.
