Covid-19 Stimulus Relief Bill Makes Illegal Streaming A Felony

In a more than 5,000 page long Covid-19 stimulus bill a new law severely punishes illegal streaming.

The "Protecting Lawful Streaming Act" doesn't target casual internet users, it's for streamers that pirate large amounts of copyrighted content for commercial or pro-profit streaming piracy services. 

If a violator is prosecuted they could be imprisoned up to 10 years for multiple offenses and could be fined. 

Government officials say the illegal practice of those who make money from illegally streaming copyrighted material costs the U.S. economy nearly $30 billion yearly.