UPDATE: We have confirmed that the dangerous CASE Act, Felony Streaming Act, and Trademark Modernization act ARE INCLUDED in the final text of the must-pass spending bill. This is an outrage. Sign the petition demanding Congress fix our broken copyright laws and create a fair system that protects everyone's rights.

This is a red alert. Lawmakers in the pocket of giant corporations like Comcast and Sony are attempting to ram through dangerous changes to copyright law as part of a last-minute, must-pass government spending bill. One of the provisions, the controversial CASE Act, could lead to ordinary Internet users facing $30,000 in fines for inadvertently sharing copyrighted content as part of everyday activities like posting memes, sharing videos, and downloading images. Another “felony streaming” measure is narrower than previously thought, but it’s still problematic, and it’s ridiculous that the text has just been released days before lawmakers are attempting to attach it to a must-pass budget package. From SOPA / PIPA to rampant abuse of DMCA takedowns we’ve seen time and time again that changes to copyright have huge implications for Internet users’ basic rights. These decisions should never be made in secret, closed-door negotiations between politicians and corporate lobbyists.

Sign the petition to tell Congress: “Artists and creators deserve to be fairly compensated for their work. But controversial copyright provisions that impact online free expression and human rights should never be rushed through as part of a must-pass spending bill. Fix our broken copyright laws and create a fair system that protects everyone's rights.”