Big Brother has arrived

[neo_sapien]

http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,51274,00.html

Expect a million geek march soon, if those crazy, self-righteous Democrats get their way. Linux would become illegal, merely because it's free. I will be damned if I allow my rights to be usurped by a bunch of congress(wo)men on the payrolls of News Corp., Disney, the Motion Picture Association of America and the Recording Industry Association of America.

To enforce this, (the only way they could enforce it) government agents would likely be given access to your computer via copy-protected programs, and be allowed to search your hard disks at will for anything they deem illegal. Spread 'em wide, now, Johnny Fed's gotta take a look.

Corporate rights > Individual rights.

[neo_sapien]

Oh yeah, and in order to be deemed legal, you'll have to have bought new appliances with copyright protection (TV's, radios, VCR's, DVD players, Any hardware or software that reproduces, displays or "retrieves or accesses" any kind of copyrighted work. ) within 2 years and 7 months of the bill becoming law.

[Gav Mortis]

(Hands Vis a copy of Orwell's "Nineteen Eightyfour")

Here, some background material. Get used to it.


Yay for Totalitarianism!

(Waves flag)

Oh say does that Star-spangled banner yet wave,
In the Land of the Free and the home of the brave?


...? Indeed.

:mad

[Yun Tilgraze]

Aha ... origins of this mess become clear at the end of the article...

At a hearing last week, Feinstein showed her colleagues a pirated movie that she said an aide had downloaded from a file-trading service.

The entertainment industry desperately wants this bill, a version of which Disney and News Corp. endorsed as far back as last summer...

On Thursday, the Motion Picture Association of America and the Recording Industry Association of America hailed the CBDTPA as the only way to prevent the continuing Napsterization of their businesses. MPAA's Jack Valenti said the measure will "serve the long-term interests of consumers," while RIAA's Hilary Rosen predicted that without it, "online piracy will continue to proliferate and spin further out of control."

While lots of people think it's great that they can get free VCDs off Morphius of anything they desire ... it really is wrong and I support laws to end it. Sorry.

But this ain't the way to do it. You can't protect media piracy at the expense of legitimate free software or federal control over all software distribution. That will never happen.

[Morgan Evanar]

But the issue is that your right to mix a CD is GONE. You can't burn a CD anymore, and drop it in your car to listen to it.

I'm going to be sending a lot of faxes. Lots and lots of faxes.

[Figrin D'an]

Anyone else up for writing a letter your congressman/woman?

Methinks I'll take some time tomorrow to do this...

[Marcus Telcontar]

Dont use email. WRITE your protest, in good legible printing, well worded.

It shows your taking real time to make your statement and will be more likely to be listened too.

So, what happens with all the hardware in taiwan that will be made without these restrictions? I can see the tech sector moving offshore and grey imports becoming bigger, as well as black market.

Think the rest of the world will listen to this senator? I doubt it. I also personally think it will be challenged by a lot of people, Intel for one is very much against it.

[Figrin D'an]

Originally posted by Marcus Q'Dunn
... Intel for one is very much against it.


That's one reason I am hopeful that this bill will be crushed before it really gets anywhere. If other big tech companies join with Intel on this, it will help immensely.

And no, I would never use email for something like this...

[Marcus Telcontar]

A lot of hardware venddors are very much against this. Ahd they have far more money than the recording industry.

And emply aa lot more americans in things a lot more worthwhile that the junk we see thats called entertainment.

Mircosoft have a patent for Digital Rights Management, but I dont think that more than covering their backsides. I dont think they really want the bill to pass either.

[Micheal Rashanagok]

I love Canada.
:lol:lol:lol

[Vega Van-Derveld]

It'll reach you as well probably, Ahnk :p

However England.. :crack

[Micheal Rashanagok]

If they can do it to Canadians, they can do it to English.

[ReaperFett]

Vega, I heard rumours we will have to carry ID cards with us with tiny trackers. We get a worse Big Brother rule :)

[neo_sapien]

and from england, the netherlands, sweden, deutschland.

Yeesh. If that happens, there'll be no more good hubs.

[Micheal Rashanagok]

Lets face it though, Canadians would never rectify shutting down Kazaa, which is what is really the aim of the bill
Canadians are devious little SOBs who love to steal from America whenever possible

[Vega Van-Derveld]

:o ID cards? I heard about that actually, giving everyone a little barcode or something :x

[Jedi Neo]

Here is some more information (http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/industry/03/22/media.piracy.reut/index.html)
On the Bill itself from CNN.

[imported_QuiGonJ]

I posted this one on CCnet a couple of weeks ago.

Yes, it sucks.

[Lady Vader]

Are you saying they're actually gonna PASS this?!?!

Well, besides, even if they did, it's still not gonna stop hackers and the like from finding loop holes. There's always a way. >D

[neo_sapien]

I hope it won't pass. I don't really think it will.

[imported_QuiGonJ]

It's been turned into a bill.. I suggest reading near the bottom of the front page of http://www.bluesnews.com for the details and how to get in on the protests.

[ReaperFett]

And of course, being as Supreme Overlord Blair is desperate to be part of America, the UK will follow suit.

[neo_sapien]

http://www.digitalconsumer.org/

go there to fax your online petition to congress.