New 'felony streaming' measure is aimed at piracy services, not Twitch streamers

Yes, Congress approved a new bill Monday that would classify illegal streaming as a felony offense, but the feds won’t be going after your favorite Twitch streamers, YouTubers, or their subscribers. They’re more interested in services dedicated to streaming pirated content. Monday night, Congress approved an over $2 trillion government spending and coronavirus relief package that included a handful of controversial copyright and trademark measures. A felony streaming bill, authored by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), was included as part of that massive package. The news circulated all across the internet; in a poorly headlined Hollywood Reporter article, tweets, and YouTube videos. Quickly, content creators and their fans grew increasingly concerned that the bill could threaten their livelihoods or their favorite means of entertainment. But according to a press release from Tillis’ office and statements made by tech advocacy groups like Public Knowledge, streamers and their fans have no cause for alarm. “As a general matter, we do not see the need for further criminal penalties for copyright infringement,” Meredith Rose, senior policy counsel at Public Knowledge, said in a statement earlier this month. “However, this bill is narrowly tailored and avoids criminalizing users, who may do nothing more than click…
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