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Is CD Copy Protection Illegal?
ribbiting writes "US Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va. is asking RIAA execs to explain how they can collect royalties on various blank media at the same time that the RIAA members are implementing copy protection mechanisms, with particular reference to the Audio Home Recording Act (AHRA) of 1992."
Glad someone is asking the question.
Y'know, I'm at the point where I'd move to VA just to be able to someday vote for him ;-)
From the article:
The labels are worried that the rise of home CD-burners has eaten into album sales, particularly after the worst year in a decade for the music industry.
These sales figures couldn't possibly shaped by the fact that the RIAA is releasing the shittiest music in a decade, could it?
"It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once." -David Hume
Ah, we can explain that, Senator... I'll just write you an explanation... let me find a piece of paper... ah, here's one, in the ledger! A signature on the line there on the other side to prove our sincerity and... there you go! I think that should explain everything.
is that the blank media tax (at least in Canada, and I think the States) goes exclusively to the music publishers. So everytime I download a new Slack version or whatever, I'm giving money to support N'Sync. That's the really criminal part. Why would you assume every blank CD is used to copy music that you didn't buy? If I'm making a backup copy of my legally purchased disc, why am I paying more money to give myself an extra?
"If he thinks he can hide and run from the United States and our allies, he's sorely mistaken." Bush on bin Laden
when I compile your comment I get the following errors:: no such file
Line 3; undertermined character constant
Line 8; I_realize_Napster_is_not_equivalent_to_Fair_Use.h
can you help me?
Please help! I'm stuck inside my virtual reality headset!
It's not just boy bands. When Creed, Staind and Incubus were becoming huge I thought "Well at least it's better than Britney". Ever since Wish you were here and It's been a while got stuck in an endless loop on radio and MTV, I contend that that music is even worse. (needless to say it reminded me what was so bad about the Matchbox 20/Tonic/Third Eye Blind days)
From hell's heart I fstab at /dev/hdc
And disillusioned customers stop buying music, so the record companies have the worst year in a long time... Also this attracts the attention of the Senate... Now who wins?
TARKIN: The National Senate will no longer be of any concern to us. I've just received word that Hillary Rosen has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away.
TAGGE: That's impossible! How will the RIAA maintain control without the bureaucracy?
TARKIN: The Major Labels now have direct control over territories. Fear will keep the consumers in line. Fear of the DMCA and the New Police State.
Perhaps we should "acquire" some 18-wheelers loaded up with blank audio CD-Rs, drive to Boston Harbor, and toss them in?
An Oval CD doesn't play on your CD-player? Are you surprised? Oval's CD's always make my player sound broken!
But seriously, an unplayable CD isn't such a great conceptual leap from what Oval is saying about "music".
TARKIN: The National Senate will no longer be of any concern to us. I've just received word that Hillary Rosen has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away.
TAGGE: That's impossible! How will the RIAA maintain control without the bureaucracy?
TARKIN: The Major Labels now have direct control over territories. Fear will keep the consumers in line. Fear of the DMCA and the New Police State
VADER: Don't be so proud of this technological terror you've created. The power to prevent copying is insigificant next to the power of open source.
Disconnect your television. Do your own research. Draw your own conclusions. They're probably lying. Don't be a sheep.