Well, in some cases, I guess it should be, but all jokes aside, that elitist and out-of-touch institution called the U.S. Congress has recently introduced a new bill (S. 978, The "Ten Strikes" bill) at the behest of the entertainment industry that would effectively make it a FELONY to stream copyrighted content, such as music on a Youtube video, more than ten times. Yes, I said a FELONY. From Demand Progress:
"As the writers at TechDirt point out, under this bill you could go to jail for posting video of your friends singing karaoke:
'The entertainment industry is freaking out about sites that embed and stream infringing content, and want law enforcement to put people in jail over it, rather than filing civil lawsuits.... We already pointed to one possibility: that people embedding YouTube videos could face five years in jail. Now, others are pointing out that it could also put kids who lip sync to popular songs, and post the resulting videos on YouTube, in jail as well.'"
This is just the latest example of the short-sighted greed of the entertainment industry and the subservience of elected officials to this industry's censorship agenda. Entertainment-related profits have never been higher, but this isn't enough. Apparently, people need to have their lives ruined for sharing some music with other people, because, of course, such a use could never ALSO function as a form of promotion could it? (sarcasm). Hey Warner, Sony, EMI, Universal, RIAA, and MPAA: FUCK YOU!
"As the writers at TechDirt point out, under this bill you could go to jail for posting video of your friends singing karaoke:
'The entertainment industry is freaking out about sites that embed and stream infringing content, and want law enforcement to put people in jail over it, rather than filing civil lawsuits.... We already pointed to one possibility: that people embedding YouTube videos could face five years in jail. Now, others are pointing out that it could also put kids who lip sync to popular songs, and post the resulting videos on YouTube, in jail as well.'"
This is just the latest example of the short-sighted greed of the entertainment industry and the subservience of elected officials to this industry's censorship agenda. Entertainment-related profits have never been higher, but this isn't enough. Apparently, people need to have their lives ruined for sharing some music with other people, because, of course, such a use could never ALSO function as a form of promotion could it? (sarcasm). Hey Warner, Sony, EMI, Universal, RIAA, and MPAA: FUCK YOU!
Bash the Fash
Signed :D
ReplyDeleteDEATH TO PIGS !!!
Anon. yes indeed!
ReplyDeleteWhat will be next?? It's a worldwide paranoia. Here in Spain, our beloved Government is starting to shut down blogs and allows some organisations to ban and fine theatre performances, the music played at weddings... all in the name of the author's rights. I don't know to call it: mafia, dictatorship or simply stupidity.
ReplyDeleteDave, let's call it all three. Existing copyright laws have been rendered largely useless by the digital age, but those who profit from these laws are clearly not eager for change. Honestly, I don't know where this all ends, but I fear a heavy-handed crackdown is coming. I hope I'm wrong
ReplyDeleteThe conversion to the U.S.S.A. is almost complete. Did you hear about the People's Republik of Tennesse? They have passed a law against posting a picture on the web that causes someone to be offended or distressed. How the hell do you enforce something like that. Maybe it is time to head for Mexico or somewhere else...it is starting to look like Germany 1933 here in Das Homeland Comrade.
ReplyDeleteMusic publishers desrve (and need) to make money, but the industry isn't willing to sit down and work out a solution that's suitable for the 21st Century.
ReplyDeleteIf they made everything in their library available at a small cost with a time-limited license, everyone would be happy. Instrwad we are forced to scour the web to find people offering the out-of-print music we want. Oh, and while I'm here, why not grab that new album that came out yesterday.
They complained radio would kill record sales, movies would kill book sales, TV would kill movies. They just have to accept that this is the way things are now, and they have to find a new way to market or die.
The US Congress runs on corporate contributions and probably always has. We can't stop them now but we can slow them down by voting everyone out after one term.
Most deserving attitude is shown in this post. This spirit should be there in each and every one in this world.
ReplyDeleteDon, well said. There could easily be an amicable way to reconfigure the way music is licensed, accessed, etc., but the industry is brutish, greedy, and short-sighted. I'm not even sure how needed music publishers are anymore. It's another outmoded model that could use some rethinking. Totally agree with you comment on Congress
ReplyDeletehire magento developer, let's hope people begin to wake up about these issues
ReplyDelete"The greater the number of laws, the more corrupt the republic." Tacitus
ReplyDeleteWhat next? Speak-easy Karaoke bars? Karaoke machines with only public domain music loaded onto them? Where's Mr Rogers when we need him?
ReplyDeleteI fear for my blog, and seriously, I'm considering to remove all the download links and publish text and videos only.
ReplyDeleteThe House GOP might be going after not only people who use the internet, but to those who don't have, use, or don't own a computer. It will mean that our prisons will full, but remember that we have secret detention camps are being prepared for the Antichrist rule, not even to mention those abandoned Japanese American/Nationalists detention camps which be reused for those who infringe copyright with or without a computer.
ReplyDeleteSinging in the shower, singing Happy Birthday, humming a tune, or thinking of a song or movie quote constitutes as an unauthorized public performance.
Here's an idea for Congress to make the sheep obey copyright:
Enforce DRM-Thought Police chip implants in the human brain, this way no one can ever think of something creative.
You better ask Jesus for forgiveness and start hiding in a cave until the Second Coming.
Dave, that's always an option, though in my case I think I'd choose to convert luna into a private blog
ReplyDeletethese laws are feeble attempts to reign in the effects of changing technology and changing conventions related to media consumption. Any law passed will soon become obsolete; there are always workarounds, but it would likely make life for music sharers more difficult
ReplyDeleteUse L33t 5pe@k on your blog posts and having a million readers and hits might not be such a good thing afterall. So what if LεΕτ ѕΡΕαк posts won't show up in a browser search.
ReplyDelete-Archie Pelago-