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MPAA Giving Up on Broadcast Flag... For Now?

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the fight-for-your-right-to-time-shift dept.

YetAnotherName writes "The MPAA, which has worked hard to get a broadcast flag into US digital television, is unlikely to push for it, according to the EFF. Previously, the US Court of Appeals ruled that the FCC didn't have the authority to mandate the flag, and the MPAA began to strike back. Naturally, the fight isn't over yet."

5 of 186 comments (clear)

  1. Your darn right it ain't over! by Luscious868 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The RIAA and MPAA basically own Congress. How long before a piece of legislation mandating the broadcast flag is attached as a rider to some totally unrelated bill, thus allowing it to slide through and be signed into law before we know what hit us? It'll happen sooner or later, trust me.

  2. Trial Balloon by Gothmolly · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This isn't over by a long shot. The MPAA took a gamble, based on what they thought they had in Congress, and lost. They won't make the same mistake twice. Look for subtle changes in the "new and improved" DMCA, COPA and its children, and other roundabout ways to implement the same thing. Heck, some US banks are even using the DMCA against phishers now - after all, you're abusing their copyright, aren't you?
    It will happen, its only a matter of time, unless the MPAA and RIAA are rendered toothless by a change in consumer habits.

    --
    I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
  3. Of course they haven't given up - read the article by FunWithHeadlines · · Score: 3, Interesting
    "Meanwhile, the MPAA will keep briefing House and Senate members on a broadcast flag bill's importance and seek other ways to get the content protections it wants."

    Does that sound like they are giving up? Nope, they are still going to push for what they want, and what they think America (that is, the MPAA) "needs."

  4. Open Source DRM ? by VonSlatt · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Even Linus has said that DRM is not inconsistant with Linux and Open Source (at least as Linus sees it) So, the OSS comunity needs to develop the killer DRM solution that respects Fair Use but sufficiently protects content owners.

    Small publishers will adopt it first, then large media outlets will find themselves having to adopt it or loose share to the small fast moving media companies.

    So, who's working on OSS DRM?

    --
    The Steampunk Workshop
  5. Broadcast Flag is already overused by Jherek+Carnelian · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This is hearsay, I have not checked any transport streams myself, but it has been reported that broadcasters have already started using the broadcast flag in almost all of their HDTV content. Sure there is not any equipment that obeys the BF, but they are probably thinking that since it is just a bit to flip, they might as well flip it now.

    Assuming the reports are true (which is admittedly a fair-sized assumption) this near total use of the BF already puts the lie to the MPAA's statement that it would only be used to "protect" high-value content like live sports and broadcast movie premiers.