Senator Ron Wyden, Stop Harming Independent Creators

“Senator Wyden argues that copyright owners might use the system to harass lawful users of copyrighted content, but ample mechanisms exist in the bill to prevent such abuse—including fines, dismissals, and the potential to ban ‘trolls.’” As the current pandemic eviscerates jobs throughout our economy, Congress has a rare opportunity to improve the lot of one long-besieged group of workers: creators. Authors, songwriters, photographers, artists, filmmakers, and many other creative professionals are the lifeblood of American cultural innovation. For decades, however, unfettered copyright infringement online has undermined their livelihoods. The effect is especially pronounced for “creative upstarts”—independent creators who rely on...