As people, we can all find common ground in the things that make us precisely human. 'Just Like Sunlight' is a blog dedicated to examining what we think these things to be. These can range from Music, Arts, Technology, Language, and Human Rights issues to name a few. In order to fully appreciate the world we live in, it is important to illuminate the fact that love and beauty are all around us,
just like sunlight.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Internet Freedom Shminternet Shmeedom
Let's get straight down to business. (Please disregard the title, this is serious). I haven't posted in quite a while, but it may not even matter. There is a bill that has been introduced into Congress that would make it illegal to stream copyrighted content online. In other words, bye-bye blog. S. 978, or also known as the "ten strikes" bill, would only allow an individual to embed or stream songs ten times before facing jail time. Literally, up to five years apparently. I admit that my blog is YouTube-heavy when it comes to posted content, because that is the medium easiest for me to share my love for music. However, big-business corporations aren't making any money off of me, so they have hired lobbyists to try and push this bill through Congress. Now, if musicians themselves were coming out in favor of this bill, in order to protect their property, I would perhaps understand. But this is not the case. This is the industry attempting to create a more restrictive definition of what we know as 'internet freedom'.
Let's be honest, I am doing no harm to anyone by doing what I do with this blog. To think that I could face 5 years in jail, for this... is somewhat scary. Please do what you can to prevent this bill from becoming law, by going to the website below and sending a message to your Congressman. Spread the word, because it's important for people, not lobbyists, to be involved in the legislative process.
In the meantime, I might as well take this time to stream and embed some copyrighted content, seeing as it could be illegal pretty soon. Ever since I picked it up, I haven't been able to stop listening to Bon Iver's 2nd and self-titled album. It's just beautiful. It literally makes me want to pack up my stuff and move to the mountains. Without a doubt one of my favorite albums of the year. Check it out and BUY the album now!
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