We beat it once, but once apparently isn't enough. Earlier this month, the Department of Commerce’s Internet Policy Task Force
released a report in which it recommended resurrecting one of the worst parts of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) which was defeated by massive public and tech industry opposition. The Department of Commerce, however, still wants to make the streaming of copyrighted works a felony.
As it stands now, streaming a copyrighted work over the Internet is considered a violation of the public performance right. The violation is only punishable as a misdemeanor, rather than the felony charges that accompany the reproduction and distribution of copyrighted material. [...]
The Commerce Department report recommends “[a]dopting the same range of penalties for criminal streaming of copyrighted works to the public as now exists for criminal reproduction and distribution,” adding that “[s]ince the most recent updates to the criminal copyright provisions, streaming (both audio and video) has become a significant if not dominant means for consumers to enjoy content online.”
So what does that really mean? It means the Commerce Department thinks you should go to jail if you upload a video of yourself covering your favorite song. Or if you upload a video of something entirely unrelated, but that has music in the background. Or if you upload video of a family birthday party where you're all singing "Happy Birthday." Criminal prosecution. Jail.
Which is ridiculous.
We have to do this again, obviously. Please sign the petition urging the administration not to follow this recommendation.