Technology Lawmakers Pushing Bill That Could Land YouTube Lip-Synch Artists Behind Bars
Senate Bill 978, a bipartisan measure introduced last month by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Sen. Christopher Coons (D-Del.), is backed by supporters who say it closes glaring loopholes in current copyright infringement law created by the realities of the digital age.
“As technology rapidly evolves, our laws must be updated to protect creativity and innovation,” said a statement by Cornyn.
But critics say a section of the bill provides for steep penalties -- up to five years in prison -- for “publicly performing” copyrighted material and embedding the video to sites like YouTube....