Covid relief bill to make illegal streaming a felony, up to 10years in jail

[TaylorSwift 162,441]

Congress looks to provide relief to U.S. citizens and small businesses, but the omnibus bill includes some legislative priorities for the entertainment industry as well.

Providing relief via direct assistance and loans to struggling individuals and businesses hit hard by COVID-19 has been a priority for federal lawmakers this past month. But a gigantic spending bill has also become the opportunity to smuggle in some other line items, including those of special interest to the entertainment community.

Perhaps most surprising, according to the text of the bill being circulated, illegal streaming for commercial profit could become a felony.  
Illegal streaming of works including movies and music tracks could carry a penalty of up to 10 years in jail.

https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/legal-and-management/9503691/coronavirus-stimulus-bill-illegal-streaming-felony/

 

 

[RenegAde 20,557]

 lock me up then

[CameronSpears 2,129]

That is ridiculous! We are slowly becoming a dictatorship. A FELONY? Really?

[berlinforme 5,385]

Imagine being that corrupted to slip lobby wishes into Covid-relief bills... 

Truly a f*cked up system. 

[ssslyboy 3,273]

Can someone explain to me what "illegal streaming for commercial profit" means?  I don't understand it.

[FfFfFfFF 58,120]

We're going to jail.

[Supersonic 49,376]

2 minutes ago, ssslyboy said:

Can someone explain to me what "illegal streaming for commercial profit" means?  I don't understand it.

Totally depends on how courts will decide how this terms should be seen once the first lawsuits roll in after it gets passed. 

Could impact private consumers that illegally stream, because they get "commercial profit" by not spending money on content that usually is behind a paywall, could impact bars, shopping malls, barbershops & hairdressers and other public places that mindlessly put on TV, Radio or a Spotify playlist without having a license to do so.

[tomdsgn 1,916]

7 minutes ago, ssslyboy said:

Can someone explain to me what "illegal streaming for commercial profit" means?  I don't understand it.

I have a feeling the “commercial profit” means people who download movies then reupload them to their own server, essentially making their own streaming service and charging people to watch them

[Serial Chiller 8,044]

all for 600 dollars?

[gypsy101 5,453]

good thing i always download my stuff illegally, who the **** streams like that lmao

[likeitrough 5,890]

50 minutes ago, 777777777777777777 said:

illegal streaming for commercial profit could become a felony.  

what does that mean? is that saying 'not including you sharing between friends', just if you try to resell it?

[littlepotter 76,610]

1 hour ago, Supersonic said:

Totally depends on how courts will decide how this terms should be seen once the first lawsuits roll in after it gets passed. 

Could impact private consumers that illegally stream, because they get "commercial profit" by not spending money on content that usually is behind a paywall, could impact bars, shopping malls, barbershops & hairdressers and other public places that mindlessly put on TV, Radio or a Spotify playlist without having a license to do so.

You have to have a license to play the radio in a shop?????? Jesus christ the greed never stops

[Supersonic 49,376]

22 minutes ago, littlepotter said:

You have to have a license to play the radio in a shop?????? Jesus christ the greed never stops

You do. Ever read the "Public broadcast of this copyrighted material without permission is prohibited." fineprint on the back of a CD (back in the day lol)?

If you put on music in your shop (in the places that are accessible to the general public), you need a license to publically play, similar to night clubs. It sounds "greedy" but in most places those license fees are the bulk of recurrent royalities for songwriters & performers.