CBDTPA Finds A Champion In the House

pshoemaker writes: "Wired is reporting that House member Adam Schiff of Burbank is seeking a co-sponsor for his House version of Hollings' CBDTPA. His 'Dear Colleagues' letter lays-out the same inspired thinking: that without copy protection there can be no broadband entertainment." Another reader suggests: "Be sure to also check out who's been paying him just so you know who it is he's representing..."

Comments

Act NOW!

[Hemos (editor)]

Don't email, don't write -- FAX!

Go to this site: http://www.digitalconsumer.org/cbdtpa/cbdtpa-inf.h tml and fill out the brief form.

It includes a sample letter that you can editor accordingly and then it will automatically fax it to your government representatives, encouraging them to act against this bill (and potential law!).

I Personally Recommend monolinux

I've said it before and I'll say it again

[GMFTatsujin]

Why is it *their* Internet all of a sudden? Just downloading an ISO of Redhat 7.2 takes a miniature eternity on my gigabit backbone with 100mbits to the desktop, because that's not all *my* traffic - can you imagine the sudden and continuous drain in bandwidth when anyone in my subnet decides to turn on the tube to watch Glitter?

Okay... bad example...

You hear about telecomm companies putting their own special networks together all the time. The entertainment industry needs to do the same. HDTVNet (or whatever they call it) can then be tightly controlled, with high-security copy protection devices all down the line, right down to the decoder on the TV. Make them completely inaccessable to the desktop - freaked out connectors, bizzare syncing and decoding strategies, whatever. No special legislation required - just technological consistancy in their own products.

The reasons they don't do this, of course, is two-fold. One, it would be hideously expensive (although will all that piracy suddenly gone, they'd suddenly be overflowing with revenue... right?), and two...

Well, I can't think of anybody who would go for it. Re-purchase every bit of audio/video equipment I own just to conform to the new services? I don't think so.

Of course, it's not like I won't have to do that in the next few years anyway... Thanks, incompatable HDTV standards!
GMFTatsujin

Let's buy our own senator

[mgoyer]

I propose that we buy our own senator since Hollings was bought for as little as $300,000.

Only 60,000 of us would have to pitch in $5 to make our very own pro-digital consumer senator a reality.

Matt

Re:Dont you get it? THESE PEOPLE DONT CARE

[Aqualung]

You act like this is a democracy, as if every voice counts, surprise this is a republic

I hate to be a grammar nazi, but you misspelled 'plutocracy' =P

Use Bush

[Amazing Quantum Man]

I've said it before, but I'll say it again here.

USE BUSH!!!!

Even if you don't like him, use him as a second line of defense. This abomination has to be signed to become law...

Write (or fax) to Bush, and tell him to actively oppose this legislation, and to veto it if it gets passed.

Use his biases against him:

"Unwarranted intrusion of government into business"

Supports the "Liberal" Hollywood Elite at the expense of our innovative tech sector

He himself said that "I prefer innovation to litigation".

Even if you don't personally believe these things, remember that he supposedly does. Use his biases to our advantage! The Enemy of My Enemy Is My Friend!

An extra point on the DigitalConsumer.org Letter

[Lethyos]

http://www.digitalconsumer.org will fax a pre-written letter to your appropriate representative for you.

However, it misses out on one point that I think is a valuable addition to the letter. If you are going to send a letter to your reps, please consider adding this!! Here's what I wrote...

5. It is not the responsibility of the government to ensure profitability of obsolete business models. Times are changing and technologies are rapidly evolving. Many large industry players refuse to change their business models to adapt to a changing economy and consumer base. People want the right to create mix collections of the content they purchase, the right to create personal copies, and other various rights that are clearly fair use and do not harm producers. Media industry players feel this will dissolve their profits, and therein lies the core issue driving legislation such as the CBDTPA and DMCA. This issue is the industry's refusal to adapt to the needs and desires of consumers. Traditionally, businesses provide what the customer wants, or they fail. No business has the right to man-handle consumers as the entertainment industry has. This is especially the case when what the consumers want is not piracy as large corporations would have one believe. People want free reign to use the information they own as they see fit. Not everyone will chose to use copyrighted material for the purpose of piracy. However, these bills assume all consumers are criminals and thus violate a principal American ideal: that we are innocent until proven guilty. Large corporations should not be granted greater control over media technologies and the subsequent use of content. If they are granted more power, it will only result in more vicious tactics that will both stifle technology and choice in both American and global markets.

If everyone has suggestions, please post them there!

Re:Popular Media

[MAXOMENOS]

Try a right-wing talk show host. A few of those guys up in arms ("The Liberal media whores are out to destroy your right to use your computer!") could turn a couple of elections.