Attention, Beliebers: Justin Bieber, and free speech advocates everywhere, need your help.
The 17-year old star is at the center of a campaign – aptly titled Free Justin Bieber – initiated by Fight for the Future, a fair-use advocacy group that’s urging citizens to vote against congressional law S.978.
What the heck is congressional law S.978?
It’s a rule that would make it illegal for individuals to stream/use copyrighted music in an online video. And where does Bieber come into this debate?
He was discovered by Usher via a homemade YouTube video of himself covering a handful of R&B hits. If this law is passed, such an act might result in a prison stint. Instead of a record deal.
“Tell Congress to get a clue and stop trying to jail people for singing,” the organization says in a statement, asking folks to sign its online petition. “Congress has no business making ordinary Internet users criminals for expressing themselves online.”
Seriously. Under this law, five-year old Sophia Grace Brownlee would be a criminal.