Sometimes it takes bold moves for real action to happen. Lucky for us, Representatives Richard Boucher from Virginia and John Dolittle from California have the guts to stand up to the RIAA and say “We don’t need no stinkin’ DRM!” The digital fair use bill was introduced to Congress today, which is supposed to give customers more rights when buying digital content. Basically, it’s a way of giving DRM the boot and handing choice back into the arms of the consumer.
Maybe Steve Jobs will get his wish of having a DRM-free iTMS this year, though I’m not holding my breath. If there ever was a time to call your congressman/woman or state rep., now is the time to do it. Let’s show groups like the RIAA and MPAA that we’re sick of their crap and we demand change.
Digital ‘Fair Use’ Bill Introduced In Congress [Washington Post]
To be honest, I think using the swastika is a bit offensive here – we’re talking about DRM and unfair copyright restrictions here, not genocide and world war.
I’m all for giving DRM, the RIAA and the MPAA the beatdown they deserve, but using the image of a swastika here was VERY BAD TASTE. Really, you should be ashamed.
Swastika? Bad decision, Vince.
I was a bit surprised when I saw the swastika in my RSS reader today. I am all for the elimination of DRM but using such symbols is pretty reprehensible and offensive.
By the time this bill has gone through all the committees that bills have to go through to actually become bills, it’ll just end up being a resolution (barely passed, no less) stating that DRM is a naughty, naughty boy and will have to go to bed without any supper if it doesn’t clean up its room right away!
Seriously… there are too many companies with too much invested, and Congress is at the mercy of the lobbyists and the people who finance their election campaigns. I’ll believe this one when it actually happens; that is, I’ll believe this one when it’s actually, officially signed into law.
Until then, put this on the pile of things I wish would happen, but have no expectation of seeing anytime soon.
I have no problem with the swastika. I mean there tactics are pretty similar if you do not count genocide. No they can never be on the level of those atrocities but I also don’t over react to its usage either.
I am not too fond of this law as it does not seem to help us at all. This law only makes it legal for US to do this ON OUR OWN. let me describe the gravity of those words.
this means we all have to be expert hackers and crackers to decrypt or bypass copy protections etc. and WRITE our own tools to enable us to do this since it does nothing to make legal the PROVIDING of speech and tools and discussion to ENABLE the average person to do this kind of thing which is still illegal with the DMCA (the dmca is illegal as it stands since it violates teh 1st amendment but that will not stop the RIAA from using it to be enforced against you)
We need a law with teeth one that RE-ESTABLISHES the distinct of IPR and PPR Intellectual Property Rights and Personal Property Rights and make it clear that the DMCA is absolutely inapplicable against PPR rights and is ONLY to be used to enforce IPR rights.