SOPA - and the End Of The Internet!!!

[Poke Trainer J]

The U.S. Senate is trying to pass this bill called the "Commercial Felony Streaming Act" that would make unauthorized streaming of copyrighted material for the purpose of "commercial advantage or personal financial gain", a felony. (currently unauthorized streaming only counts as a misdemeanor.)

The penalty could include up to 5 years in jail, it also defines illegal streaming as streaming ten or more times in a 180 day period. The value of the illegally streamed material would have to be greater than $2,500, or the licensing fees would have to be over $5,000.

This bill has been getting ALOT of heat from YouTube users concerning as to whether the bill itself would affect those who stream or post videos of copyrighted content (videogames, TV shows, music) on public sites such as YouTube. There's a site called DemandProgress.org where over 500,000 people have signed on to oppose the bill.

It's been stated that the bill isn't intended to affect the aforementioned aspects, instead it would only target websites or people who profit from illegally streaming copyrighted material. But there's more bad news. Looks like the U.S. Government is trying to pass a new bill similiar to S.978 but MUCH worse called the Protect IP Bill, the video below explains more:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAtSfNh9B0c

The Protect IP Bill Itself:

http://leahy.senate.gov/imo/media/do...OTECTIPAct.pdf

You can still petition this bill by going on the link below, what the Government is doing is not only unconstitutional but also illegal and we need to take action now!

http://act.demandprogress.org/sign/pipa_house/

 

[Wardek]

Took action.

This'll be bad if it happens.

 

[AuraSphere]

Oh well, I don't upload video gameplay that often anyways.

 

[??????]

haha Senate. I'm a pretty liberal guy, but this is shit and shouldn't be passed. Hopefully, the House of Rep. will block this.

In all, it seems like something corporately manufactured. Like Congress itself -__-

 

[Eternalserenity]

I'll bet this is a slap in the face for those who still believe the U.S. government represents the people.

 

[Aquadon]

commercial advantage or personal financial gain

For some reason I feel like throwing up a Videogame guide or a song isn't really "financial gain", and the thought of "commercial advantage" could be highly debatable. Either way, the US Government's been silly for a while now.

 

[bel9]

lol internet anime nerds over reacting itt

your gameplay videos are already illegal. I know that youtube has a collective memory of about 1 week, therefore that fact should be beaten into youtube users heads weekly. neither of the bills you freak out about change the legality of a gameplay video on youtube. your actions are already illegal.

amateurs

For some reason I feel like throwing up a Videogame guide or a song isn't really "financial gain", and the thought of "commercial advantage" could be highly debatable. Either way, the US Government's been silly for a while now.

Exactly.

 

[Yeul]

Man, I'm glad the Dail's too busy with making themselves look good in front of other countries to make petty laws like these.

 

[Hejiru]

lol internet anime nerds over reacting itt

your gameplay videos are already illegal. I know that youtube has a collective memory of about 1 week, therefore that fact should be beaten into youtube users heads weekly. neither of the bills you freak out about change the legality of a gameplay video on youtube. your actions are already illegal.

But this makes YouTube liable and and makes punishments stricter. Youtube isn't going to risk legal trouble when they can just ban any videos with gameplay footage or songs or movie clips in them.

 

[Eternalserenity]

You'd think the U.S. Government would have more important things to worry about than this: a war, an astronomical national debt, 10% unemployment rate, etc, but NOOOO, they have to worry about stupid things like this. They're just a bunch of old farts who've lost touch with reality.

 

[Poke Trainer J]

Got that right, this bill is an illegal violation of the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. I honestly don't know why lobbyists and politicians these days always take it for granted like it's no big deal but it is.

 

[Korusan]

Hahaha I hope they throw all the streaming MLP fans into prison then, where they can really see the magic of "friendship".

Don't illegally stream or download stuff you freeloaders. How hard is this to get?

 

[Gergovia]

Got that right, this bill is an illegal violation of the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. I honestly don't know why lobbyists and politicians these days always take it for granted like it's no big deal but it is.

How? By streaming videogame content online without permission, the people that view it get to view gameplay that they aren't supposed to see without buying the game. Companies have to protect their assets.

If I'm a game developer, I don't really like to have my product streamed to thousands of people all over the world without anyone paying a single dime. The U.S. constitution doesn't protect against theft.

You'd think the U.S. Government would have more important things to worry about than this: a war, an astronomical national debt, 10% unemployment rate, etc, but NOOOO, they have to worry about stupid things like this. They're just a bunch of old farts who've lost touch with reality.

Doesn't mean we should all the sudden stop giving a **** about everything else.

 

[ChedWick]

How? By streaming videogame content online without permission, the people that view it get to view gameplay that they aren't supposed to see without buying the game. Companies have to protect their assets.

If I'm a game developer, I don't really like to have my product streamed to thousands of people all over the world without anyone paying a single dime. The U.S. constitution doesn't protect against theft.

Yea because as a video game developer you don't want your game advertise, you don't want people to learn about your game and find they like what they see and then buy your game...

Did you even think about what you just said? It's a video game, not a movie. You pay to play and interact with the content created. You don't pay to watch the game play itself.

 

[Gergovia]

Yea because as a video game developer you don't want your game advertise, you don't want people to learn about your game and find they like what they see and then buy your game...

Did you even think about what you just said? It's a video game, not a movie. You pay to play and interact with the content created. You don't pay to watch the game play itself.

As a videogame developer I want to advertise my product how I see fit. It's why companies hire marketing strategists, etc, etc. Any advertisement isn't necessarily good advertisement. Further more, it's still their product. Regardless of whether the "extra advertisement" is good for them or not, they still reserve the right to have it protected by law.

 

[Draknir]

There are so many things wrong with the US congress, and this is added to the list. They should get their thumbs out of their noses and actually listen to the people. Not to mention how much this goes against the constitution. I wish, no I hope that over the course of the next few years, Congress is completely replaced.

 

[pikapikachiu]

http://thomas.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c112:2:./temp/~c112LZbyCM::

theres the link to the bill to anyone who wants to rea(skim) over it. so yea i never believe when this kind of hype come up. i realized that when i found out that the other bill s978 was an amendment(means like change) to an already existing bill. but yea this new bill seems reasonable to me(mind you i have not read it throughly or anything. just skimmed various parts). But yea actually glancing at the bill, it looks like its to prevent sites from foreign countries to host copy righted material. also section 5, subsection B just says that if your web site's intent is to pirate material for profit, will be targeted. just sounds like don't steal/distribute copyright material.

im no like lawyer or anything and this is just based on research ive done in the last 10 minutes.

 

[Skydra]

Hahaha I hope they throw all the streaming MLP fans into prison then, where they can really see the magic of "friendship".

Don't illegally stream or download stuff you freeloaders. How hard is this to get?

This is much more than illegal streaming and downloading. There are fair use complications, legal atrocities, and more. For example, if the idiots that a good deal of the government are classify a gameplay and commentary video you decide to watch on Youtube as "illegal streaming", you're charged for felony. Because fair use has never been specified in regards to video games, this could be unlawful punishment, or unreasonable punishment and be hurtful hurt the internet industry. Watch the video in the OP, its informative.

lol internet anime nerds over reacting itt

your gameplay videos are already illegal. I know that youtube has a collective memory of about 1 week, therefore that fact should be beaten into youtube users heads weekly. neither of the bills you freak out about change the legality of a gameplay video on youtube. your actions are already illegal.

amateurs

THEY KNOW. The intelligent people against this law do, at least. This is not "anime nerds overreacting," this is an entire community seeing very real dangers. You're clearly the "amateur" here, not recognizing the danger and assuming everyone is just overreacting. If anyone is overreacting, its because of the broad wording of the bill.

Oh well, I don't upload video gameplay that often anyways.

So you don't care about repercussions this could have? See, this is the kind of thinking that gets these bills into Congress; "the bad things don't effect me, so it doesn't matter."

Edit: So reading the link provided by the above person who ninja'd me, there are sections "struck out." I have little knowledge of these legal matters, but I reason that this means they were removed from the bill. This leaves the specific and actually helpful laws regarding the foreign sites distributing or streaming content such as free movies. So they listened and heard, or am I misinformed?

 

[bel9]

This is much more than illegal streaming and downloading. There are fair use complications, legal atrocities, and more. For example, if the idiots that a good deal of the government are classify a gameplay and commentary video you decide to watch on Youtube as "illegal streaming", you're charged for felony. Because fair use has never been specified in regards to video games, this could be unlawful punishment, or unreasonable punishment and be hurtful hurt the internet industry. Watch the video in the OP, its informative.


THEY KNOW. The intelligent people against this law do, at least. This is not "anime nerds overreacting," this is an entire community seeing very real dangers. You're clearly the "amateur" here, not recognizing the danger and assuming everyone is just overreacting. If anyone is overreacting, its because of the broad wording of the bill.




So you don't care about repercussions this could have? See, this is the kind of thinking that gets these bills into Congress; "the bad things don't effect me, so it doesn't matter."

Edit: So reading the link provided by the above person who ninja'd me, there are sections "struck out." I have little knowledge of these legal matters, but I reason that this means they were removed from the bill. This leaves the specific and actually helpful laws regarding the foreign sites distributing or streaming content such as free movies. So they listened and heard, or am I misinformed?

This video is pretty relevant.

Make a little note to yourself that if IGN uploaded the video without permission from Nintendo they are in legal trouble. Every time I see a thread like this, I click on it and see whiny little kids who think they can upload whatever they want on youtube; congratulations, you fall into that category. And yes, you are overreacting.

 

[RobertStyx]

This video is pretty relevant.

Make a little note to yourself that if IGN uploaded the video without permission from Nintendo they are in legal trouble. Every time I see a thread like this, I click on it and see whiny little kids who think they can upload whatever they want on youtube; congratulations, you fall into that category. And yes, you are overreacting.

There is a difference though between breaking an NDA (which they have clearly done here), a legally bound contract, and simply uploading gameplay footage.
Under the law as it stands at the minute, gameplay videos are NOT illegal, as long as they show minimal use of the game or software OR commentary associated is instructional or educational (ie. video walkthroughs and Let's Plays). Due to the broad wording of this bill, it could make ALL footage illegal, which will destroy entire online communities, and damage businesses involved in it, including video game developers and publishers, not just companies providing videos like The Game Station and Machinima.