Hidden away within the 5,000-page long stimulus bill recently introduced by U.S. lawmakers is new legislation that is aimed at severely punishing illegal streamers.
The new law places a maximum punishment of 10 years' imprisonment for those found guilty of streaming large amounts of copyrighted content.
Legal experts said that the law doesn't target casual internet users but only those who illegally stream pirated content for "commercial or for-profit" purposes. The law does not apply to people who use illegal streaming services or those who "unwittingly stream" pirated content.
The new law - called the Protecting Lawful Streaming Act - was included in the COVID-19 stimulus bill and was originally introduced by Republican Senator Thom Tillis earlier this month. The bill is expected to become law as soon as this week after President Donald Trump signs the stimulus legislation.
During its introduction, Tillis reasoned that the illegal streaming of copyrighted content results in the U.S. economy losing close to $30 billion each year.
"This commonsense legislation was drafted with the input of creators, user groups, and technology companies and is narrowly targeted so that only criminal organizations are punished and that no individual streamer has to worry about the fear of prosecution," Tillis said in a statement.
Violators of the new law could face a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Violators could also face steep fines based on the content they streamed or the amount of money they had generated from the pirated content.
Last year, the Department of Justice apprehended and charged two people in Las Vegas for streaming illegally acquired content from popular streaming sites such as Netflix and Hulu on their own websites. The pair reportedly earned more than $1 million from their operations.
Consumer advocacy groups applauded the passing of the bill and said that it was "narrowly tailored" and well worded to make sure that it doesn't affect regular internet users.
Public Knowledge - a user advocacy group - said that they appreciated Tillis' efforts in passing legislation that was in line with their own concerns. The group said that Tillis had listened to the concerns of consumer groups and worked hard to prevent risks to legitimate end-users. The National Association of Broadcasters also expressed its support of the new legislation.
