GristyMcFisty used our news submit to tell us that due to successful lobbying efforts by the movie industry, the new broadcast flag law has passed 5 to 0 by the FCC. This law is designed to protect the high quality digital TV signals from being copied and shared on the devils playground, formally known as the "Internet". The fear being that if rampant piracy is allowed to go on, these presently free TV shows would have to be moved to HBO or other pay-for-view venues.
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Indeed, the entertainment industry has balked at providing extensive digital programming over the air unless there was some protection. Under the new rules, the industry could embed a piece of digital code known as a "broadcast flag" into a program, which then could only be copied by a digital recording device equipped with technology that recognizes the flag. A computer could not copy the file to its hard drive, which is necessary for it to be sent onto the Internet. The rule is particularly aimed at increasingly popular digital video recorders, which copy programs to DVDs rather than to video cassettes. Some are built into personal computers, while others are stand-alone machines usually hooked up to televisions. Under the new rules, such devices must be broadcast-flag compliant by July 2005. Consumers who want to record shows using VCRs will not be affected, and they will be able to watch flagged programming on any television. "The FCC scored a big victory for consumers and the preservation of high value over-the-air free broadcasting with its decision on the Broadcast Flag," Jack Valenti, head of the Motion Picture Association of America, said in a prepared statement. "This puts digital TV on the same level playing field as cable and satellite delivery." |
Jack Valenti may think I scored a big victory as a consumer but I doubt that he could find many consumers that would agree. Especially if one reads these dissenting remarks:
In his partial dissent, Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein said the new rules raise unanswered copyright and privacy issues. He said the order allows programming to be flagged even if its copyright protection has expired, creating a conflict with intellectual property law. He also said that not enough attention was paid to whether the flag scheme would enable the entertainment industry to track how and when its content is viewed, a potential invasion of privacy. Commissioner Michael J. Copps dissented on similar grounds, though he praised the plan as "better balanced" than original versions put forth by the Motion Picture Association of America.
This is beginnning to look like a chapter from George Orwells Animal Farm.
Source: news.yahoo.com
