A Senate committee recently voted to make illegal streaming of movies and TV shows a felony. There are many anti-piracy advocates working to secure the integrity of artists and their work, but this committee noted that it’s not only the producers, writers and actors that suffer when their work is stolen. When a movie is pirated, losing out on sales effects the construction workers, costumers, hair and make-up departments, set designers and technicians. Their wages and benefits suffer and the impact is often felt more acutely.
The legislation still has to pass in the full Senate, but with backing from the Obama administration and the negative attitude toward piracy in Washington right now, it will hopefully pass and begin taking steps to protect the livelihoods of all those that work in the entertainment industry who are negatively effected by illegal streaming.
