Bill S.978 threatens internet freedom

[KopsTheTerminator]

Wouldn't that make MLK illegal? Osh- LOL

I highly doubt this law will pass though... The only ones that want it passed are companies that need moar bucks. Wtf though... They'd have to shut down half the internet if that actually happened. Not cool, America.

[Arani]

^ TPAM's got it right. This bill probably wont pass. So many people would get so mad lol. Kopa is right, over half the net would go down if this was passed, leaving a lot of people very angry. I don't think the government would want that. They're not gonna pass it just because of a few greedy companies. It ain't gonna happen. And if it does... well the government isn't gonna like the outcome I can tell ya that.

[FlipMode]

Wouldn't that make MLK illegal? Osh- LOL

I highly doubt this law will pass though... The only ones that want it passed are companies that need moar bucks. Wtf though... They'd have to shut down half the internet if that actually happened. Not cool, America.

It would not be the first time an unfavourable law has been passed. It is not just about companies being greedy, it is also the government trying to give the economy a kick. If I add up all the times I have streamed something online, it would actually add up to a lot of money, so I can see where they would be coming from in that sense.

If I go onto YouTube and stream an episode of an old show, which is difficult to find the DVD of, well if everyone had bought it instead of streaming it, it would not be as hard to come by in the first place.

They do have somewhat of a point, but ultimately will not want so much citizen backlash. And I do not think it has been thought through completely lol

EDIT - And yes Kops, I would imagine it would make MLK somewhat illegal. If you read the actual document, it only applies if a certain amount of monetary loss is incurred. For example if it costs $1 to purchase "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" and the amount was set $2000, so if 2000 people streamed it from here, it is against the law. Which is soooo messed up lol, that is like saying murder is illegal, but only if it is more than 5 victims =D

[KiarasMate]

I see this as only being an amendment to laws that are already in place, so I don't see any reason why it wouldn't pass. There are already existing laws in place that deal with the whole copyright thing, and just because this bill gets passed, I don't think that would change much. It's not really the laws that need to be amended, but rather, the current laws just need to be reinforced is all. I also don't see how this really threatens our internet freedom, since as far as I know, it's always been illegal, and will always be illegal to upload/watch copyrighted material that one doesn't have the permission from the copyright holder to do so. It's not like any rights of ours are being taken away, at least, none that we legally had to begin with.

Again, I don't think this will change much of anything. Disney could have shut down MLK if it had felt that this site infringed upon the copyrights it held, but that has yet to happen and I don't think a minor change in the laws will change their minds anytime sooner. Also, just because this amendment to the laws gets passed, that still doesn't take away our protection that is given to us in the form of Fair Use, assuming the copyrighted material falls under this category. This is just my view on this issue and I don't think it's anything to get worked up about.

[FlipMode]

I see this as only being an amendment to laws that are already in place, so I don't see any reason why it wouldn't pass. There are already existing laws in place that deal with the whole copyright thing, and just because this bill gets passed, I don't think that would change much. It's not really the laws that need to be amended, but rather, the current laws just need to be reinforced is all. I also don't see how this really threatens our internet freedom, since as far as I know, it's always been illegal, and will always be illegal to upload/watch copyrighted material that one doesn't have the permission from the copyright holder to do so. It's not like any rights of ours are being taken away, at least, none that we legally had to begin with.

You used to make AMVS, did you not? This new law basically means that unless you have legal permission from the companies to use their music, not only does YouTube already have their copyright strikes system, but now the government want to put people in jail, up to 5 years for it. You get up to 10 strikes so, if you made 30 AMV, and 10 of them have songs in them that you have not had permission to use (and remember owning something does not give one the right to upload it), you are then a felon. Imagine that in jail? "What you in for bro? I murdered some dude cause he looked at me funny."
"I made some AMVs, bro! Hardcore! So don't mess." so it is a bit ridiculous.

However, I think that this applies to the company you upload to (ala YouTube), rather than the individual who is uploading the content. But even then, that means hat YouTube will have to check for this kind of stuff before passing it off, thus putting a huge restriction on what people can upload to the internet. >.>
I mean, this makes my LP of S.M.A, illegal lol.

[KiarasMate]

Yes, but what I'm getting at is that, it's already illegal to do that kind of stuff. With the YouTube 3 strikes policy, they are already trying to crack down on the copyrighted material, and if the copyright holders felt it necessary, they could in fact, get a person for uploading something to YouTube that they hold the copyrights to. So what I'm basically saying is, this just makes the existing laws a bit more strict. That doesn't mean that there will be this huge push to actually enforce said new amendements. Here again, even if it does result in that, it is not taking away a right of ours. Yes, it will suck not to be able to make AMVs or do creative things with copyrighted material, but there are legal ways to get around some of the copyright laws when it comes to creative use of something copyrighted.

Like I said though, I don't feel as though this is anything to get oneself worked up over. There will always be new laws like these, and there will always be people who find ways around them. The internet is way too massive to be able to be controlled completely.

[FlipMode]

Ah right yeah I getcha now =P.

[Azdgari]

Because the American congress has no bigger issues to pursue than people posting Youtube videos of with music in them and people streaming TV shows. =D

[TheGunner18]

Well, I suppose now that they've taken care of a certain terrorist they'll be focusing a lot more on the 'Homefront' as they called it. I really don't see the point in trying to get this bill passed if I'm being honest. There'll be so much backlash that it'll soon become too much to handle. The modern world practically revolves around the Internet now. It's a fact of life. Freedom. They can't take that away from us.

[FlipMode]

Well, I suppose now that they've taken care of a certain terrorist they'll be focusing a lot more on the 'Homefront' as they called it. I really don't see the point in trying to get this bill passed if I'm being honest. There'll be so much backlash that it'll soon become too much to handle. The modern world practically revolves around the Internet now. It's a fact of life. Freedom. They can't take that away from us.

It probably will not get passed, but you know it is a US law right? Not a UK one.
That said though, it still does effect us, because if you upload to a USA site (which YouTube is) then that site is going to still remove your videos and stuff if there is copyrighted stuff in there.

On another note, if anyone is interested enough, you can track the progress of this law here - http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s112-978

@Kopa23. Most companies use the internet as a free form of advertising anyway, so really not even the greedy companies want this passed. Literally the only people who care about it, in any form, is the USA government lol.
Like if you look up a band on YouTube, and then like a few of their songs, odds are (for me at least) I am going to go out and buy the album, so if anything they actually will loose out more from this IMO.