American Bill S.978

Kirby

I thought that I would post this here as this affects us as fighting game fans. There is a bill being discussed in US congress regarding the streaming and uploading of copyrighted content. It's official designation is Bill S.978

Basically, Hollywood is concerned about people streaming movies online and people seeing their stuff for free. Thats fine and dandy and I can see their point.

Unfortunately, they have lumped video games into the bill. So any video on the internet or youtube that shows gameplay? Suddenly illegal.

Review? Illegal.
Walkthrough? Illegal.
Footage of conventions like E3? Illegal.
Footage of a tourney? Illegal.

Apart from the obvious fact that half of youtube would be taken down, so would Brian's channel. We could no longer show our inferno matches or whatever we felt like.

To be frank, the fighting games genre would be dead right now without the internet.....and it wouldn't be the only one to suffer alot.

The bill is still a long way from being passed into law so no point in getting up in arms just yet, but its a possibility worth thinking about.

ladnopoka

That is scary

chopperbyrne

Even if it does get passed, companies like Capcom, Namco and ArkSys will just make a statement saying they're okay with match footage being shown.

K.O.Kiki

We're not in America.

Doyler01

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

We're not in America.

Watch that potty mouth son.

FoamyMushroom

The US gov will see the popularity of streaming games and tourneys online, seeing as some youtube videos getting 1mil views of a top ranked SFIV fight that last about 3 minutes for an example EVO last year got 100k+ viewers as a total just for one day or something. Capcom, Namco etc have never said anything about streaming there games, even modding there games as you see SFIV mods everywhere.. If they passed a bill to make it illegal in my opinion there would be another bill from thousands of other people trying to make it legal again.

As for walkthroughs becoming illegal? Thats a load of my left testicle, Some game companies already have them online for free? They just have some legal issues not to copy it and use it for own personal gain.

But whatever.. I don't really care anyway.

deeds372

1. doubtful this will get passed on constitutional grounds

Kirby

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

We're not in America.

Correct. Therefore we can't be prosecuted. But youtube is american, is it not? The fact that we are irish wouldn't save our videos.

chopperbyrne wrote: »

Even if it does get passed, companies like Capcom, Namco and ArkSys will just make a statement saying they're okay with match footage being shown.

Herein lies the problem. Because its a legal issue, you cannot give blanket permission. They have to give individual permission to each user. Can you imagine each company responding to every 15 year old asking for permission for his fan video? I can't.

Owwmykneecap

Capcom already give blanket permission for their IP to be infringed in a myriad of ways. Even MUGEN Sprite rips have their blessing.

Azure_sky

America doesn't own the world (Thank God!) nor the internet. Everyone will just ignore it anyway or set up an alternative to youtube in the UK or Canada. It will be impossible to enforce even in the US.

Doctor DooM

You know guys it pays to do a LITTLE research before you make comments on legal things... opinion or what you consider right doesn't matter a jot.

chopperbyrne wrote: »

Even if it does get passed, companies like Capcom, Namco and ArkSys will just make a statement saying they're okay with match footage being shown.

The problem is it doesn't matter what Capcom et al WANT- the American Govt. can prosecute regardless unless they go down the (potentially expensive or legally risky) route of providing all the content providers with licenses.

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

We're not in America.

Spooky is though, and he could face a 5 year jail term if he cocks this up.

Would YOU take that risk for fighting games?

FoamyMushroom wrote: »

The US gov will see the popularity of streaming games and tourneys online, seeing as some youtube videos getting 1mil views of a top ranked SFIV fight that last about 3 minutes for an example EVO last year got 100k+ viewers as a total just for one day or something. Capcom, Namco etc have never said anything about streaming there games, even modding there games as you see SFIV mods everywhere.. If they passed a bill to make it illegal in my opinion there would be another bill from thousands of other people trying to make it legal again.

As for walkthroughs becoming illegal? Thats a load of my left testicle, Some game companies already have them online for free? They just have some legal issues not to copy it and use it for own personal gain.

But whatever.. I don't really care anyway.

This bill is being pushed by lobbyists who have clout behind them from much, much more powerful people in America than a few video game companies. I would say the senators supporting this are not even aware there is video game culture.

You'll care, I bet, when youtube potentially ban all game footage, and the gaming industry takes a hit.

deeds372 wrote: »

1. doubtful this will get passed on constitutional grounds

I have heard several people agreeing with this- there's potential free speech issues with the Govt effectively being able to prosecute someone for making a video, especially as the Supreme court now considers video games art.

I'm no expert though, obviously, so I don't know.

Kirby wrote: »

Correct. Therefore we can't be prosecuted. But youtube is american, is it not? The fact that we are irish wouldn't save our videos.



Herein lies the problem. Because its a legal issue, you cannot give blanket permission. They have to give individual permission to each user. Can you imagine each company responding to every 15 year old asking for permission for his fan video? I can't.

If I was picking up Sven correctly over on Capcom, newer games might have a restricted license for replication of footage. That would I think make everything a little easier for us all.

They said they'd help "proven" content providers. This worries me- Am I proven? They've never heard of me but I have over 800 videos. Nothings qualified

Owwmykneecap wrote: »

Capcom already give blanket permission for their IP to be infringed in a myriad of ways. Even MUGEN Sprite rips have their blessing.

They don't have their blanket permission or their blessing. All they have is a lack of prosecution brought about by an implicit agreement through silence.

Capcom have shown they have teeth when they need to with the emo ryu oni footage debacle.

Azure_sky wrote: »

America doesn't own the world (Thank God!) nor the internet. Everyone will just ignore it anyway or set up an alternative to youtube in the UK or Canada. It will be impossible to enforce even in the US.

It might be impossible but everyone in the US who breaks it would be risking five years jail time. I'm sorry, but I know I for one would not do that for the sake of a hobby. But yes, I don't think they even care about the video game end of things, and yes it could force a shift away from goo tube.

Kirby

Didn't notice you had already posted this brian as it was way down the thread list. Sorry bout that.

But you are right. Lack of understanding is a big enemy. The old "It only affects America" shtick that people come out with is so far off base. America drives the games industry....just like the movie and music industry. What happens over there, affects over here.

TVSAdamwest

You will be ok Doom after all you are a doctor

K.O.Kiki

America drives the industry?

Tell that to the multitude of companies in the UK, France, Germany, Canada, China, Korea, Japan, etc.

Doctor DooM

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

America drives the industry?

Tell that to the multitude of companies in the UK, France, Germany, Canada, China, Korea, Japan, etc.

Where do you think the money to pay for everything comes from? America is a huge games market. Just because a company is not registered there doesn't mean there's not a knock on effect.

UberPrinny_Baal

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

America drives the industry?

Tell that to the multitude of companies in the UK, France, Germany, Canada, China, Korea, Japan, etc.

I'll pass along your message

......

They said "Yeah we know"

Azure_sky

America is in decline, much like the British Empire after WW1. China will be the next super power and they will ultimately pull the strings.

Fluorescence

This will massively affect the video games industry worldwide. The game companies get enormous amounts of free advertising and endorsements thanks to Let's Plays and the like on youtube. There's many games I've personally only bought because the footage I've seen online looks amazing. It's not the same as a movie at all where you'd watch it once on the internet and then the potential revenue for the company is gone. It'd be madness for this bill to pass.

Kirby

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

America drives the industry?

Tell that to the multitude of companies in the UK, France, Germany, Canada, China, Korea, Japan, etc.

Mate, wanting something not to be true doesn't make it so.

There are tons of games companies all around the world. And when they make games, who do they sell them to? It isn't Japan. Its america and europe. Consider the biggest selling games of the last year. About 90% of them are heavily westernised. For the western market.

K.O.Kiki

You're only thinking of console markets.

Don't forget the VAST PC markets which are geared towards Asian and non-specific (e.g. "casual") gamers.

Azure_sky

Kirby wrote: »

Mate, wanting something not to be true doesn't make it so.

There are tons of games companies all around the world. And when they make games, who do they sell them to? It isn't Japan. Its america and europe. Consider the biggest selling games of the last year. About 90% of them are heavily westernised. For the western market.

But, if it does come in, it will only effect the US. Canada, Aus and Europe will be left untouched.
It won't effect most of the western market.

Doctor DooM

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

You're only thinking of console markets.

Don't forget the VAST PC markets which are geared towards Asian and non-specific (e.g. "casual") gamers.

No he isn't. If the american industry vanished tomorrow it would have a catastrophic effect, world wide. You're showing a rather astounding lack of understanding of economics here kiki.

K.O.Kiki

There are very few instances of global markets going under in a day though.

I won't subscribe the the doom'n'gloom school of thought just yet.

Dreddybajs

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

There are very few instances of global markets going under in a day though.

Goalposts officially moved :pac:

Owwmykneecap

Doctor DooM wrote: »

They don't have their blanket permission or their blessing. All they have is a lack of prosecution brought about by an implicit agreement through silence.

Capcom have shown they have teeth when they need to with the emo ryu oni footage debacle.

Capcom had explicit written permission on streetfighter.com prior to SFIV.
It included use of their characters in animation and sprites in homebrew (i.e. MUGEN) As long as it was non commercial, and non offensive (no racism sexism etc)

Whether they still have any such clauses up now, I've no idea.

Doctor DooM

Owwmykneecap wrote: »

Capcom had explicit written permission on streetfighter.com prior to SFIV.
It included use of their characters in animation and sprites in homebrew (i.e. MUGEN) As long as it was non commercial, and non offensive (no racism sexism etc)

Whether they still have any such clauses up now, I've no idea.

I seriously doubt Capcom would, in this day and age, give a license for their IP to be used without restrictions.

As I pointed out above, they're happy to let people do what they want as long as it works in their favour, but have no problem being viscous if it works against them.

I took footage of evil Ryu and Oni in France I could never use because of them.