Gaming consumer group rallies members to make their voices heard on Senate Bill S.978, which it says would criminalize game videos on YouTube.
Last month, the Entertainment Consumers Association hailed the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn a California law that sought to restrict the sale of violent games to minors. Now the consumer trade group is looking to score another legislative victory, turning its attention to a Senate bill that would strengthen copyright law around streaming media.
If it became law, Senate Bill S.978 would amend current copyright law to include not just the unauthorized distribution and replication of copyrighted works (like pirated games and bootlegged movies), but also “public performances by electronic means.” While the bill was intended to make streaming copyrighted material illegal in the same way downloading it through a peer-to-peer service already is, critics are concerned that its wording is so broad as to potentially send people to prison for up to five years for largely accepted behavior.
For example, the bill could cover musicians who upload their own cover performances of popular songs to YouTube or other streaming sites, or gamers who upload their walkthrough videos, speed runs, or machinima.
“There are already strong laws on the books for copyright holders to protect their intellectual property,” the ECA said in its statement. “We don’t need this draconian measure that’d make criminals out of millions of Americans who just want to share their enjoyment of their favorite entertainment.”
The ECA is asking concerned consumers to write their local senators with their concerns and is facilitating that with a form letter on its website.
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