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DRM More Important Than Life or Security?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the but-at-least-our-music-will-be-safe dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Ed Felten of Freedom to Tinker has an interesting writeup regarding how copyright holders are still having serious objections to the built in exceptions of the DMCA even when it might threaten lives or national security. From the article: 'One would have thought they'd make awfully sure that a DRM measure didn't threaten critical infrastructure or endanger lives, before they deployed that measure. But apparently they want to keep open the option of deploying DRM even when there are severe doubts about whether it threatens critical infrastructure and potentially endangers lives.'"

4 of 427 comments (clear)

  1. Mr. President, we have a problem... by jettoki · · Score: 5, Funny

    The terrorists have open-sourced their WMDs, and the DRM on your BRR (Big Red Button) has expired. I've called an emergency meeting with Linus Torvald.

  2. Re:In many countries... by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 4, Funny
    copyright infringement is already grounds for heftier punishment than some crimes against physical inviolability. What did you expect? He who pays the politician makes the laws.

    And the logical conclusion to this is, that if you are caught red-handed violating copyright, you better punch, maim or kill the guy who caught you. You'll get a lighter sentence that way.

  3. Bin Laden sues! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    In an unprecedented move, well-known terrorist Osama Bin Laden filed lawsuit in a federal court against the United States government for violation of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act. In a press statement released by Al Qaeda this afternoon, Bin Laden alleges the infringement to have occured in the bomb defusal in the White House last week. Citing the anti-circumvention clause of the DMCA, Bin Laden notes that the bomb squad allegedly circumvented access controls designed to prevent illegal copies of the bomb ignition software.

    "We're hoping that this lawsuit will yield considerable damages and provide an injunction that will prevent future attempts to defuse bombs.", Bin Laden states from his cave "It's the only way to stop piracy."

  4. US Democracy in a nutshell by Headcase88 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Homer: "Take a look at your beloved candidates, they're nothing but hideous space reptiles!" (unmasks them)
    Kang: "Yes, it's true, we're evil aliens, but there's nothing you can do about it. It's a two-party system! You'll have to vote for one of us!"
    Guy in Crowd: "Well I believe I'll vote for a third-party candidate!"
    Kang: "Go ahead, throw your vote away! Hahahahahaha"

    --
    "When the atomic bomb goes off there's devastation...but when the atomic bong goes off there's celebraaaaation!"