Poll: The death of internet freedom; AKA bill S.978

[jimahaff]

This morning during my usual internet routine I was checking Notch's blog and his latest post led me to this video. If you care about netnutrality or internet freedom please watch this video.

http://youtu.be/ib7-vSrp6y8

The video does a better job of explaining what Bill S.978 is than I could but the bottom line is that while this bill will unintentionally destroy game videos, walkthroughs, game and movie reviews, home recorded talent shows,and pretty much every other video or document on youtube and the internet in general that has anything to do with copyrighted material.

The only good part about this is that there is something you can to to prevent this.
This link will take you to a page where you can send a message to the goverment and tell them not to pass this bill, or to amend it. The message is already written up all you have to do is add in your contact info, and you can change it as you see fit, or send it as is. This only took me 30 seconds to complete and it could save our way of life.

http://act.demandprogress.org/letter/ten_strikes?akid=700.450896.5hVZPC&rd=1&t=1

Please spread the message, tell you friends and family we need to act on this before it is too late. Also if anyone could embed the video in a post so others can watch it, I would appreciate it, I would do it myself, but I don't know how.

 

[Hippobatman]

I am very concerned about this bill, as it may destroy much of the current internet culture. It would strike particularly hard at the Street Fighter community, since much of its core has become live streaming tournaments.

Ultradavid is a part of the SF community and is also a lawyer. He's written about the potential impact this bill might have at his website [http://www.dpgatlaw.com/news/2011/6/30/tolling-the-stream-implications-of-senate-bill-978.html].

Have a read and sign petitions opposing the bill, or do whatever to get your voice heard. Maybe, for once, someone will listen to us internet folks.

Didn't sign, don't plan to. Copyright holders should have the right to decide if they want people to stream their products.

Yes, I realize this is true and completely fair. However, I think it's a difference between pirating a stream showing gameplay from a copyrighted product for the intention of earning money, and uploading a video game related clip to YouTube or hosting a stream without financial gain, as is with the Street Fighter tournaments. The latter examples are basically free advertisments for the game, Capcom has even stated that it's beneficial to have such a community.

 

[lacktheknack]

Didn't sign, don't plan to. Copyright holders should have the right to decide if they want people to stream their products.

I'm signing, but I won't be too broken up if it passes. Because this guy is right.

And most game companies and such WANT their material on the open web, so they simply have to add a clause to their ToS that says "You can use footage from this product in fan videos/walkthroughs/speed runs/guides/etc." And make no mistake, most companies will do that. Notch has already said he would.

I'm only signing on principal, as I don't like internet policing in terms of copyright.

By the way, I'm too lazy to watch the video. Will this affect any websites based in countries that aren't the United States?

 

[jimahaff]

Didn't sign, don't plan to. Copyright holders should have the right to decide if they want people to stream their products.

They already have that right, the video explains that at any time a game company like valve could call up a you-tube account and demand that they take down all the videos regarding their games. But game companies don't do that because they know that you-tube videos are great marketing. This bill would take that decision out of the hands of the game companies and give it to the government. Game companies wouldn't have any say in the matter. The goverment would consider lets plays a crime, and would automatically fine or send to jail people who post them.

Any way thank you very much for the video.

 

[TheIronRuler]

Damn. I just saw th youtube link and...
That sucks.
But I'm not an American, so I can't really do anything.

 

[jimahaff]

Yes and no, non Americans will be able to post videos and other content because the bill only applies to Americans, but any content that was posted by Americans will be taken down, and nobody American or other wise will have access to it.

 

[Racecarlock]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! The government is trying to control the internet again! That's hilarious! Yeah, good luck with that. You can't even take down the pirate bay much less a whole bunch of gameplay videos from youtube. Even if they did, it would probably cause a rebellion of mass proportions.

 

[Dirzzit]

Damn. I just saw th youtube link and...
That sucks.
But I'm not an American, so I can't really do anything.

You can still sign the form.

 

[JochemDude]

I'd like to see them reinforce this one.

 

[jimahaff]

Watched the video already. It's just wrong.

I don't claim to be an expert, but this news alarmed me and I thought more people should have access to the information so that they can make up their own opinions about it. The fact that this post has already gotten 5 people to sign the message who might not have otherwise, more than satisfies me. (Edit, I am the typo king)

 

[Jordi]

Hoe many topics about this do we need? A couple hours back I visited the site and 3 of the 7 latest topics were about this bill, and none of them was this one. None offered any special angle on the subject, they are all just "Here's the bill. OMFG it sucks. Discuss."...

Anyway, this has absolutely nothing to do with net neutrality. It is of course about freedom though. I don't know what the bill says exactly, but if it says that you can't produce a video with music or footage from a copyrighted product, I am not sure how that is not already covered in the law. I am not in favor of going after sites like YouTube, and think that the people who post and create those videos should be the ones that get blamed, although ideally that won't happen either.

I am in favor of fair use policies, and I don't really see how a decrease in Let's Play videos etc. will do anyone (including me) any good. But to me it does make sense that when you hold a copyright to something you can control who copies it. In short, I don't like how this bill might affect the internet, but that doesn't mean it is wrong. I think all companies should be happy when someone is using their music, or promoting their game in popular videos and should rush to give all content creators permission to do just that.

 

[Staskala]

As much as I'd disagree with the bill, your insults and populist bullshit aren't exactly making me run to help your cause.
Neither does making 10 threads per hour about it.
Then again, it's not like I'm American in the first place.

 

[orangeban]

The

Didn't sign, don't plan to. Copyright holders should have the right to decide if they want people to stream their products.

They already have that right, the video explains that at any time a game company like valve could call up a you-tube account and demand that they take down all the videos regarding their games. But game companies don't do that because they know that you-tube videos are great marketing. This bill would take that decision out of the hands of the game companies and give it to the government. Game companies wouldn't have any say in the matter. The goverment would consider lets plays a crime, and would automatically fine or send to jail people who post them.

Please reconsider, and at least watch the video. so that you understand the issue fully. But thank you very much for the video.

Watched the video already. It's just wrong. I say this in the sense of 'at any time a game company like valve could call up a you-tube account and demand that they take down all the videos regarding their games' is just wrong. It doesn't work out as well as you make it sound. Same with all forms of media. Unless people get financially hit, they just make a new account and post the same shit. Youtube does next to nothing to protect copyright, so there is little other choice here.

Bwuh? Youtube is super paranoid about copyright infringement, as soon as a claim is made they instantly take down said video. There like a coiled spring, does nothing, until a company springs them into action.

Here, http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=11738#more-11738
This is a post on Shamus Youngs blog about youtube and copyright infringement. Arbitary and heavy-handed I believe he calls it.

 

[orangeban]

Didn't sign, don't plan to. Copyright holders should have the right to decide if they want people to stream their products.

Here is your video anyways:


What people need to realize, is that if a company wants to allow you to make your 'Lets Play' and what not, they can easily give permission to stream their content. They don't have to do so on an individual bases like this video implies.

You watched the video, so what do you thing about that thing where in, say, a kareoke party occurs where your friends sang, and you thought it was funny and put it on Youtube, suddenly putting that video up is a federal offence. How is that fair?

 

[IxHADOUKENxI]

I'm not even in the U.S but I've signed Screw this It's a ridiculous Bill...

 

[TheLaofKazi]

What people need to realize, is that if a company wants to allow you to make your 'Lets Play' and what not, they can easily give permission to stream their content. They don't have to do so on an individual bases like this video implies.

I know, but to be honest, I don't care what a company thinks of what I or anyone else does with their content. More relaxed copyright laws stimulate art and culture in my opinion, and I think the internet is proof of that in how it's allowed people to disregard the law and spread, remix, adapt and combine media and expression.