Thursday, February 16, 2006
RIAA et al. Says CD Ripping, Backups Not Fair Use
Posted by Jeremy Charette in "NEWS" @ 04:00 PM
"If anyone has any doubts about the content industry's resolve to destroy fair use and usher in new ways of charging you for uses that were previously both free and fair, look no further. As part of the triennial review of the effectiveness of the DMCA, a number of content-related industries have filed a joint reply (PDF) with the government on the effectiveness of the DMCA and the challenges that lay ahead for copyright. As you might expect, the document is a celebration of the DMCA, and the industries are pushing for even more egregious abuses of technology to fatten up their bottom lines."
Copyright is a fundamental freedom we enjoy in the United States, and when this freedom is threatened, where will it stop? Will copy machines be outlawed? Will recordable optical discs (CDs and DVDs) be banned? Will the sale of portable Digital Audio Players be prohibited? Will Apple be put out of business? The thing that amazes me is that "entertainment" companies are so slow to adapt to consumer demands. Apple was one of the first, and the quickest, to give people what they want. Apple is enjoying record profits while the RIAA and MPAA are resorting to suing their own customers. History has shown that human behavior cannot be legislated, and increasing the scope of the DMCA will not deter consumers from copying or ripping their music or movies. What may be particularly damaging to these industry groups is that they are reversing their own opinions as the situation suits them. See the article for just a couple of examples.
Copyright is a fundamental freedom we enjoy in the United States, and when this freedom is threatened, where will it stop? Will copy machines be outlawed? Will recordable optical discs (CDs and DVDs) be banned? Will the sale of portable Digital Audio Players be prohibited? Will Apple be put out of business? The thing that amazes me is that "entertainment" companies are so slow to adapt to consumer demands. Apple was one of the first, and the quickest, to give people what they want. Apple is enjoying record profits while the RIAA and MPAA are resorting to suing their own customers. History has shown that human behavior cannot be legislated, and increasing the scope of the DMCA will not deter consumers from copying or ripping their music or movies. What may be particularly damaging to these industry groups is that they are reversing their own opinions as the situation suits them. See the article for just a couple of examples.
