Bear Flag Republic Radio Weblog

Digital Content Smackdown.

"In Hollywood Wants to Plug the 'Analog Hole', Cory Doctorow reveals key points of the 'Content Protection Status Report' filed with the Senate Judiciay Committee by the MPAA ó a document that lays out the Evil Empire's Internet-destruction plans, which involve turning humble ADCs (Analog/Digital Converters) into content permission valves that would govern approximately the full range of 'content' use:

'Under its proposal, every ADC will be controlled by a "cop-chip" that will shut it down if it is asked to assist in converting copyrighted material ó your cellphone would refuse to transmit your voice if you wandered too close to the copyrighted music coming from your stereo.

The report shows that this ADC regulation is part of a larger agenda. The first piece of that agenda, a mandate that would give Hollywood a veto over digital television technology, is weeks away from coming to fruition. Hollywood also proposes a radical redesign of the Internet to assist in controlling the distribution of copyrighted works.

This three-part agenda -- controlling digital media devices, controlling analog converters, controlling the Internet -- is a frightening peek at Hollywood's vision of the future.'

You know what to do. If you don't, read Cory's report." [Doc Searls Weblog]

Be an informed consumer. Read up on this stuff. Make your voice heard. Librarians especially need to consider how destructive such a future would be on our ability to circulate digital content (as in, we won't be able to).

[The Shifted Librarian]
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