The RIAA and MPAA are at it again. The Senate has introduced legislation to basically control all digital media. Any digital media will have a “broadcast flag,” and the FCC will have to certify all new digital devices, like TVs, iPods, PSPs, DVD recorders, etc… Boing Boing has an excellent synopsis of the whole situation. Please contact your Senator and let them what you think.
If this is passed, we will suffer. It will more difficult (if not impossible) to use the content we purchase fairly. Technology companies will suffer, because they will have to go through the FCC to make new products.
Who won’t suffer? The RIAA and MPAA, of course. But will the artists they represent be better off? I’m not so sure. Some CDs have gotten so restrictive that they don’t allow you to rip them to your iPod. If these industies are going to treat me like this, I’ll take my business elsewhere. Other industries learn to innovate with new technologies; they can too.
Even if this law is passed, piracy won’t just disappear. If someone is determined to break copy protection, they are going to. The rest of us will just have more headaches and restrictions to deal with.
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