Germany Labels Twitch a "Radio service", Streamers need a broadcast license - Sensationalist Headlines

[url]http://www.esports-news.co.uk/2017/03/27/german-streamers-require-license/[/url] [QUOTE]Popular German YouTube and Twitch channel PietSmiet (pictured) has been told it will need a license to continue to stream. German broadcast authority the Landesmedienanstalt has temporarily ruled that live-streaming requires a broadcasting license, which costs between €1,000 and €10,000€ depending on the number of viewers, according to this Reddit post. Those without a license will technically be classed as a pirate station and could be shut down. Germany is not alone in enforcing this kind of legislation. China also requires certain streamers to hold a license in order to broadcast content. It's not yet clear whether German streamers will have to follow the exact same regulations that TV broadcasters do, but if so, they will have to follow at 10pm watershed. However, the Landesmedienanstalt did say that the guidelines are outdated, so the ruling may change in the near future.[/QUOTE]

German bureaucracy never ceases to amaze tbh Tho at least they acknowledge that they'll have to readdress this issue. Which is reasonable I think, abide by the current law for now but then work on changing them.

Actually you only need a license over 500 viewers. Not that its less stupid but yea. Also I can't remember but I think I read somewhere that this might also only apply to people who actually stream on a schedule and like on multiple days per week. Otherwise it does not really count like a show. Added to that your content must also be have like a team etc. private individuals might also not count as such. It is not the first time this actually happened, bigger ones like RocketbeansTV or even Angela Merkel had that problem. Knowing how future orientated and up-to-date our law makers are this can only end well. /s

This is hilariously sad.

[QUOTE=Mitsuma;52086564]Actually you only need a license over 500 viewers. Not that its less stupid but yea. Also I can't remember but I think I read somewhere that this might also only apply to people who actually stream on a schedule and like on multiple days per week. Otherwise it does not really count like a show.[/QUOTE] Seems like you're fine if you release a poll asking viewers what time to start, too. Still ridiculous.

This is ludicrous, lol.

What does a TV license even pay for? What is it supposed to help manage?

Germany what the fuck are you doing

[QUOTE=Mitsuma;52086564]Actually you only need a license over 500 viewers.[/QUOTE] lmao that means if somebody raids you, you're a pirate station and get shut down

come the fuck on germany [editline]11th April 2017[/editline] [QUOTE=Mitsuma;52086564]Actually you only need a license over 500 viewers. Not that its less stupid but yea. Also I can't remember but I think I read somewhere that this might also only apply to people who actually stream on a schedule and like on multiple days per week. Otherwise it does not really count like a show. Added to that your content must also be have like a team etc. private individuals might also not count as such. It is not the first time this actually happened, bigger ones like RocketbeansTV or even Angela Merkel had that problem. Knowing how future orientated and up-to-date our law makers are this can only end well. /s[/QUOTE] doesnt make it any less fucking retarded you dont have to regulate every thing that exists

Whenever stupid legal shit involving video games happens it always seems to be a coin flip between Germany and Australia.

can you send your stream through a proxy to make your channel look like you're broadcasting from another country?

[QUOTE=meppers;52086723]can you send your stream through a proxy to make your channel look like you're broadcasting from another country?[/QUOTE] this just in: germany reinstates death penalty for streamers using proxies

[QUOTE=StrawberryClock;52086608]What does a TV license even pay for? What is it supposed to help manage?[/QUOTE] Depends on the country, but over here it maintains our broadcast networks (so no one company has a monopoly over an area), ensures certain older networks are actually modernised as the technology evolves (we totally phased out the analogue broadcasting system for TV a few years back), and funds publicly owned stations (such as the BBC, which despite having some bias towards the ruling party at any given time, is significantly less garbage than any private news or media group over here). It's not a "tax for taxation sake" deal, we do tend to get benefits from it. Though it's kinda hard to enforce today as we are moving over to streaming based services. I've not paid for a TV license since leaving home because I've genuinely never needed to watch TV live (and the current house I'm in 4 years after leaving home is the first to have live TV because the landlord insisted on paying anyway).

[QUOTE=Mort Stroodle;52086628]lmao that means if somebody raids you, you're a pirate station and get shut down[/QUOTE] Bonus points if you're playing something banned in Germany, or hell, even playing the uncensored version of L4D2.

Please Germanie. pls stop

Wonder how long till other countries follow suite?

i really don't understand the purpose of these sorts of licenses. how do they protect anyone or anything? you'd think that a radio broadcast license would've been created so that radio operators can't just broadcast on any channel and interrupt the broadcast of a licensee who legally has the right to a channel but it's the fucking internet, it doesn't work like that. who does this help fund and why? how is this benefiting anyone besides lining some politician's pockets?

[QUOTE=Joeyl10;52087068]i really don't understand the purpose of these sorts of licenses. how do they protect anyone or anything? you'd think that a radio broadcast license would've been created so that radio operators can't just broadcast on any channel and interrupt the broadcast of a licensee who legally has the right to a channel but it's the fucking internet, it doesn't work like that. who does this help fund and why? how is this benefiting anyone besides lining some politician's pockets?[/QUOTE] It's just a way to collect money. Think of it like a tax.

The hell is even going on with the German government? How can you be this out of touch?

[QUOTE=Breezeep;52087701]The hell is even going on with the German government? How can you be this out of touch?[/QUOTE] You have to admit you're being a bit of a pot calling a kettle black right

Well good job killing off the hobbies thousands of German streamers who stream for the fun of it. This is why law regarding computers and the internet need to be written by people who know how the fuck the internet works.

Stupid, Yes. But in a way this is somewhat legitimizing, at least in the principle logic this presents, streamers as our generation's radio personalities. It's still retarded and shouldn't be presented in this fashion. But there you go. More weight for me to say my job is an actual job which has a continuous lineage from other similar forms of entertainment with the only defining feature being technology employed.

This is as dumb as taxing free speech. Germany need to put restrictions in place where the people can tell the government to fuck off.

[QUOTE=Joeyl10;52087068]you'd think that a radio broadcast license would've been created so that radio operators can't just broadcast on any channel and interrupt the broadcast of a licensee who legally has the right to a channel but it's the fucking internet, it doesn't work like that. [/QUOTE] For radio stations it makes sense, there's a limited number of frequencies you can broadcast on, you don't want people stealing a spot from someone else, they help regulate that. However, for television (now anyway, it used to have limited channels) and the internet it's just a way to get money without doing any actual work.

[QUOTE=ultra_bright;52088057]This is as dumb as taxing free speech. Germany need to put restrictions in place where the people can tell the government to fuck off.[/QUOTE] Well not really, since you are making money from broadcasting via twitch just like you are from broadcasting via radio I see the point in this. There should be no regulation if you just stream for fun without any income from it, even with lots of viewers, which would equal free speech. But if it's a business I see no problem with this.

What this article conveniently does not mention are the criteria you have to fulfill for this to happen. Same happened with youtube's streaming service as well. [code] - has to be broadcasted live (well duh) - has 500 or more consecutive users/viewers - is editorial designed (?) - does broadcast regularly and somewhat on a schedule [/code] Will this affect German streamers? Probably "just" the larger ones. I am not really a fan of this ruling, but hey gotta protect the old media somehow, huh? :downs:

[QUOTE=AaronM202;52086695]Whenever stupid legal shit involving video games happens it always seems to be a coin flip between Germany and Australia.[/QUOTE] Amen Thanks to our Christian conservatives, yay. they are hella backwards when it comes to either video games or gay marriage. Not to mention, slow on anything related to the Internet. [sp]I'd pick our kind of conservatives any day over yours, though[/sp] :v:

[QUOTE=Sims_doc;52087057]Wonder how long till other countries follow suite?[/QUOTE] I hope not

Doubt this is something which could be easily enforced and even so, who'd be willing to sentence someone over some harmless streaming?