Idiot American law-makers want to put people in jail for five years for uploading gaming videos to t

LordSplodge

LordSplodge

LordSplodge

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If Bill S.978 passes it will be a felony to upload any videos showing "copyrighted" footage of video games and could face a maximum of five years in jail.

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/02/lets-play-videos-may-soon-make-you-a-felon-thanks-to-senate-b/

That means no more speed-runs, let's play or commentary footage. Even this video pointing out it is illegal would be illegal under the new Bill.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?deskto...e.com/watch?v=ib7-vSrp6y8&v=ib7-vSrp6y8&gl=GB

Now are American law-makers truly this idiotic? Or that much in the pockets of the Copyright lobbyists? This bill would kill the American gaming industry and do massive damage to their economy.

Personally I don't think it will pass but I won't be surprised if it does. There is a war brewing for control of the Internet and the Americans seem to be determined to turn it into Cable TV.

I'm getting tired of **** like this. Your opinions please.
 
Just purely bizzarre...? =/

Only reason I could see this being useful is for unreleased games...Which I'm sure you can probably get done for if you leak them already?
 
so long as the performance in question is valued at at-least $2,500 USD, or if the value of a license to legally "perform" the content is valued at $5,000 or more.
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I'd like to see any company claiming someone doing a speed run of their game and posting it on the internet requires a licence.

Isn't this more to protect licence holders from people that Stream sporting events that networks have paid millions for the exclusivity of and the like?
 
Unless I'm missing something, this has nothing to do with computer games?

if passed, would make streaming unauthorized copyrighted material a felony
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I.E, the boxing match last night. Or other sites that stream movies without authorisation. It has nothing to do with your "speed-run" videos.
 
Longbow said:
Unless I'm missing something, this has nothing to do with computer games?

I.E, the boxing match last night. Or other sites that stream movies without authorisation. It has nothing to do with your "speed-run" videos.
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It covers videos of games as much as it does streaming unauthorised tv streams because it is such an idiotically vague bill. Plus there is already perfectly adequate laws in place to deal with copyright infringement.
 
It's vague yes, but this won't effect computer games. In the same way that the current copyright laws don't effect computer games.

Ever heard of Valve filing lawsuits against people uploading gameplay videos? No, and you never will.
 
Aren't American laws passed because the rich people who would make a lot of money from them employ lobbyists to harrass (and bribe?) the senators who then vote for it?

Admittedly, I don't know much about it but that's the general impression I've had.
 
Longbow said:
Ever heard of Valve filing lawsuits against people uploading gameplay videos? No, and you never will.
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Valne no, but I'm not going to bet the farm against money grabbing companies like EA and Activision using this bill if it was passed.

Forde said:
Aren't American laws passed because the rich people who would make a lot of money from them employ lobbyists to harrass (and bribe?) the senators who then vote for it?
.
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Pretty much. Welcome to a world where money buys laws. I'm sure the Founding Fathers are turning in their graves.
 
LordSplodge said:
Valne no, but I'm not going to bet the farm against money grabbing companies like EA and Activision using this bill if it was passed.
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Imo, it'll never happen. Are they going to stop sites making reviews with screenshots of games or start charging them licensing fees as well?

Just a load of overblown "omg internetz panix!"
 
orderoftheflame said:
Imo, it'll never happen. Are they going to stop sites making reviews with screenshots of games or start charging them licensing fees as well?

Just a load of overblown "omg internetz panix!"
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There is middle ground between being complacent and being paranoid you know.

Just look at the raft of laws passed recently by both the US and UK and the wide-reaching consequences.

It is the duty of a good citizen to constantly question the actions of its Government in my opinion.
 
orderoftheflame said:
Isn't that for pre-release completely early leaks? That's a completely different matter to banning "any videos showing "copyrighted" footage of video games".
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No. IIRC Sony tried it because the video has music from the game in it claiming the music was copyrighted - which I guess is kinda fair enough tho a bit silly. Can't remember details of the EA one but pretty sure it was footage from the released game and not something leaked from under NDA.
 
OMG withought Tankspot how will I get my purples?

Seriously though having been to America once I consider myself an expert, the country is obscenely tilted in favour of the haves and the have nots.
 
Isn't the prison system in the U.S privatized? Meaning the more people they put in jail, the more money the companies get. Starting to get like that in the UK. MMmmm prison systems.
 
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