Consumer Groups Protest SonicBlue/ReplayTV Order

bigmouth_strikes writes: "As a follow-up to this story about SonicBlue having to track ReplayTV usage, PC World reports how several privacy and consumer groups protest the court order. The Electronic Privacy Information Center will support and appeal and Consumer Electronics Association released a press release where they condemn monitoring individual users preferences. SonicBlue have until June 24 to put the tracking in action, and the data collected will determine whether the users of ReplayTV meet the "Fair Use" criteria established in the Betamax case."

Comments

Monitoring users isn't necessarily bad

[ObviousGuy]

But in this case it seems that a definitive judicial decision one way or the other without requiring ReplayTV to perform such 'research' would be a better solution. All this pussyfooting around about what amount of usage is fair use isn't good for anyone.

Re:Monitoring users isn't necessarily bad

[ObviousGuy]

Not to the judge who issued the order.

Re:Monitoring users isn't necessarily bad

[pio!pio!]

I wouldn't say monitoring is necessarily bad. But from what I gather, you loose the freedom to choose whether or not you want to be monitored.

And the monitoring is not anonymous either (although this is somewhat ambiguous, I think there is an ID tracker of the unit that is sending the information, which can ultimately be traced back to who is using that unit)

Re:Monitoring users isn't necessarily bad

[ObviousGuy]

But wouldn't a simple "SonicBlue must pay $X to entity Y for copyright infringement (or whatever)" be better than all this "Z% usage is considered fair use but Z+1% is not" BS that is being pursued?

Another kudo for the Patriot Act

[joeler]

Yes, better to be safe and secure, remember those infamous Regan words of yesteryear "NEVER sacrifice security for freedom". Judges find it much easier now to order tracking ordinary people. Heck, they don't even need court orders for investigators to track bookstore purchases ect. andc keep track of those evil doers that buy naughty books. Welcome to the new, safer world thanks to the idiot in the white house. Enron's key man from Pennnsylvania that worked with bush for deregulation, Tom Ridge is only concerned about keeping America safe. If all that doesn't bother you why should you care they are tracking what you watch to see if you are avoiding the commericals? After all, if you are not doing anything wrong, you have NOTHING to worry about - wave your flage, shut up and be happy and most of all watch those commercials, there may be something important there that the new government controls want you to know! Every day look under your bed to make sure no terrorists are hiding there, you know they are every where....what color is it today???

Re:Another kudo for the Patriot Act

[Rick the Red]

"NEVER sacrifice security for freedom".

Perhaps you're trolling, but I certainly don't feel all that secure now that my freedoms are being taken away. Thanks loads, GOP. When are the Dems gonna find a real leader to get us out of this mess?

Re:Another kudo for the Patriot Act

[ivan256]

When did President Regan say that?

Re:Another kudo for the Patriot Act

[sqlrob]

Yeah, right. Like we'll get a real leader from EITHER of the parties. They're all pandering sycophants.

Re:Another kudo for the Patriot Act

[FreeUser]

Thanks loads, GOP. When are the Dems gonna find a real leader to get us out of this mess?

Never, since the two parties are equally to blame for the current mess, and neither has stood up for adhering to the constitution in the face of their own pet causes, much less in the face of their corporate sponsors' bottom lines.

Re:Another kudo for the Patriot Act

[Rick the Red]

>sigh<

I'm afraid you're right.

False Statistics

[DustMagnet]

I guess I have until June 24th to figure out how to make my computer control the replay withb rtvremote. I wonder what they while think when I sometimes skip programs and only watch the comercials.

Re:False Statistics

[Rick the Red]

I wonder what they [will] think when I sometimes skip programs and only watch the comercials.

Perhaps you should demand that they pay you.

viewer tracking

[ynohoo]

I think I'd prefer them to know what I watch, in the hope that they would put on more programs I enjoy. What's the beef?

This story has even reached the UK.

[anonymous cupboard]

The BBC reports Digital video maker fights 'spying' order, which means that the row is getting a higher profile. Maybe this will help somewhat. the article then goes onto to explain what a PVR is and the concerns of the broadcasters and program makers. None of this is new to slashdotters, but it is good to see the news getting out.

Personally, I believe that the companies are just wanting free audiance research. This kind of thing would normally cost a small fortune, but they have strong-armed "sonic Blue" and their customers into doing this.

I guess if people were paid for this data collection, they wouldn't mind so much.