RIAA Wants Taxpayer-Funded IP Police

Sydney Weidman writes "RIAA has given testimony before the House Appropriations Committee asking for more federal money for Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property investigation teams. You can find RIAA's side of the story here and a Cnet story is available as well. Apparently, RIAA is not satisfied with the current deployment of CHIP teams since they have been more involved in anti-hacking activities than in anti-piracy. My favourite Hilary Rosen quote: "Piracy is not a private offense, it hurts everyone by diminishing the incentive to invest in the creation of music." I guess Rosen won't be happy until each and every pirate is charged with crimes against humanity and convicted by the International Court of Justice"

Comments

Inalienable rights

[wytcld]

Among my inalienable rights is the right to see and hear this world, and the right to communicate what I have seen and heard. These are at the heart of an open mind and free speech, which are rights that any just government depends on, and not the other way around. What has been before my senses I have a right to be cognizant of, to remember, and to portray. I can describe it, I can paint it, I can photograph it, I can record it. And I can transmit my experiences to others. This is "fair use" which comes before the law. No law, whether enforced by a dictator or by a majority, can legitimately encroach on these rights, which in no way remove real property from anyone. The right to be aware and communicate in the world is arguably more fundamental than the right to own real property, since it has to do with the right to own oneself and ones experiences; but in this case there is no conflict with the right to own real property. If you put a high wall around your real property, then I cannot view it. But if you leave your property on view, it is fair use for me to share that view with whomever, and however, I like. Anything less would be theft from me of what is inalienably mine as an individual, and owe to no government, let alone industrial monopoly.