Re:Create issued the below statement today on S. 3880, the Strengthening Measures to Advance Rights Technologies (SMART) Copyright Act of 2022. 

“S. 3880 will give the government the power to decide how Americans’ everyday digital products and services work, creating harmful consequences far beyond the realm of copyright law. Congress should not be fooled by rightsholder talking points; this bill is very dangerous,” said Re:Create Executive Director Joshua Lamel.

“From apps and the cloud to social media, blogging and video games, technical mandates will destroy online creativity, censor free expression online, hurt consumer choice and hold back new startups. Technical mandates handed down by government lawyers without technical expertise or oversight will result in content filtering – stifling creativity, innovation, and the flow of information.

“At a time of peak concern for our nation’s cybersecurity, Re:Create and our members also have serious concerns about how technical mandates will expose Americans to security and privacy threats, especially given the Copyright Office’s history of ignoring serious cybersecurity concerns in its support of past proposals.

“This bill will lead to filtering mandates, undermining the very purpose of copyright to promote creativity and progress. It should not move forward.”