Proposal To Make Illegal Streaming A Felony

Statement of David Bitkower, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, U.S. Dep't of Justice, before the Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet, U.S. House of Representatives, for a hearing entitled "Copyright Remedies," presented on July 24, 2014.  [Link].

In a congressional hearing, a Department of Justice officer states that the Department supports a felony penalty for illegal streaming of music.  (See statement, p. 7).  Currently, there are felony penalties for illegal distribution and reproduction (downloads), but only misdemeanor penalties for illegal public performance (streaming).