is illegal streaming a felony

This particular section of the stimulus bill was presented by Senator Thom Tillis on December 10th, and is made to fight back against commercial websites that stream pirated content. The new COVID-19 stimulus package includes a bill that could give illegal streamers up to ten years in prison. Now that we've ramped up our online lives due to the ongoing pandemic, we're streaming more than ever. Adam is a writer at Tech.co and has worked as a tech writer, blogger and copy editor for the last decade. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new bill would make illegal streaming for commercial profit a felony offense. Its been eight years since a similar push to criminalize streaming appeared in the Senate, however this bill was met with public outrage and didn’t pass. Under the new regulation, unauthorized digital transmission of copyright-protected works is punishable by up to ten years in prison. Some massive savings currently available. Outstanding value, with an advanced VPN app, A user-friendly VPN, let down by some speed loss, Tech.co is reader-supported. What does that have to do with coronavirus relief? There are, however, other provisions that could also have serious implications for the technology and media worlds. The new COVID-19 stimulus package includes a bill that could give illegal streamers up to … For one thing, the bill includes a proposal from Senator Thom Tillis (a Republican from North Carolina) that would make illegal streaming a felony, with penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment. Tucked away in the more than 5,000-page long Covid-19 stimulus bill is a new law that severely punishes streamers that pirate large amounts of copyrighted content. Hollywood studios scored a win with the next incoming COVID-19 relief bill. Those who are just pirating the latest Disney movie or Taylor Swift album won't be committing a felony. Since the full text was only released yesterday, we can probably expect plenty more debate over its implications in the weeks and months to come. Hiding in the new parliament COVID-19 The stimulus bill is an amendment that makes illegal streaming a felony. And the answer is a little murky. Techdirt’s Mike Masnick argued yesterday that it will “supercharge copyright trolling exactly at a time when we need to fix the law to have less trolling.”. Perhaps most surprising, according to the text of the bill (a combination of COVID relief and annual government spending), illegal streaming for commercial profit could become a felony. However, according to the text of the bill (via THR ), it includes a surprising line item making illegal streaming for commercial profit a felony. The change is aimed at commercial operators. The new COVID-19 relief bill features a number of media-related add-ons, including one that would make illegal streaming for profit a felony. The new stimulus bill includes a number of strange, seemingly out-of-place provisions, including some relating to the entertainment industry. The long-awaited coronavirus relief bill, purportedly aimed to help Americans and their small businesses as the Chinese coronavirus continues to grip the nation, would make illegal streaming a felony — a special interest gift to the entertainment industry. On top of issuing a one-time $600 payment to many Americans, the bill included a range of disparate regulation, including a bill with a big impact: Illegally streaming for a profit can be charged as a felony. That same stimulus bill contains a section that makes illegal streaming a felony. Copyright Office. Currently, a pirated stream is treated as an illegal performance, which is a misdemeanor, rather than illegal reproduction and distribution, which is a felony. As of Monday night, Congress has officially passed a new COVID-related stimulus bill. This system has been compared to small claims court, with the ability to adjudicate copyright claims and order payments of up to $30,000. This includes streaming movies and music, with offenders possibly facing a punishment of up to 10 years in jail. One caveat that sets this new copyright regulation apart from previous attempts to felonize streaming is that it applies specifically to those who earn a commercial profit off of their illegal streaming. We're so happy you liked! Senator Thom Tillis wants to make illegal streaming a felony. It has no additional cost to you, and never affects the editorial independence of our reviews. Senators are working on an omnibus spending bill to avoid a government shutdown, and the bill needs to be passed December 11. Getty The COVID-19 stimulus bill includes a measure to make illegal streaming a felony. Powerful features and security, but a bit technical. Our scoring is based on independent tests and assessments of features, privacy settings, ease of use and value. Coronavirus Relief Bill Makes Illegal Streaming a Felony. Get more delivered to your inbox just like it. It was proposed by Amy Klobuchar, Chris Coons, and John Cornyn on May 12, 2011. For one thing, the bill includes a proposal from Senator Thom Tillis (a Republican from North Carolina) that would make illegal streaming for profit a felony … Instead, the entities that qualify as felons according to the law are website and service owners that allow streaming of unlicensed content. Also Read: Bill Would Make Illegal Streaming a Felony "We applaud Congressional approval of The Protect Lawful Streaming Act, bipartisan legislation that modernizes copyright law to protect video programming against unlawful online streaming," said NCTA president Michael Powell. We do know that the “streaming” in question includes both music and video content. This new amendment does not say, “You can’t stream because the 16-year old that made the playlist for the basketball games chose copyrighted music.”. It also links the popularity of streaming with an increase in piracy. The big question on many consumers' minds, however, is whether there's a chance they could get in trouble under the new copyright law. Mobile VPN Apps Have a New Google-Backed Security Standard, Microsoft Edge Launches a Kids Mode for Safer Internet Use, Microsoft Teams Just Made PowerPoints Way Better, Try the FCC’s Speed Test App to Help Improve America’s Internet, Facebook’s Recent Announcements Show it is Out of Ideas and Floundering, Kindle Users Can Finally Set Their Book’s Cover as Their Lock Screen, Oculus Quest 2 Update Adds Wireless Streaming, 120Hz Support. The US Congress has passed a Covid-19 stimulus bill which contains an anti-piracy proposal that would punish for-profit, illegal streaming services with felony penalties of up to 10 years in jail. 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