Posted on 12/03/2006 4:27:21 PM PST by HarmlessLovableFuzzball
Los Angeles , CA - The MPAA is lobbying congress to push through a new bill that would make unauthorized home theaters illegal. The group feels that all theaters should be sanctioned, whether they be commercial settings or at home.
MPAA head Dan Glickman says this needs to be regulated before things start getting too far out of control, "We didn't act early enough with the online sharing of our copyrighted content. This time we're not making the same mistake. We have a right to know what's showing in a theater."
The bill would require that any hardware manufactured in the future contain technology that tells the MPAA directly of what is being shown and specific details on the audience. The data would be gathered using various motion sensors and biometric technology.
The MPAA defines a home theater as any home with a television larger than 29" with stereo sound and at least two comfortable chairs, couch, or futon. Anyone with a home theater would need to pay a $50 registration fee with the MPAA or face fines up to $500,000 per movie shown.
"Just because you buy a DVD to watch at home doesn't give you the right to invite friends over to watch it too. That's a violation of copyright and denies us the revenue that would be generated from DVD sales to your friends," said Glickman. "Ideally we expect each viewer to have their own copy of the DVD, but we realize that isn't always feasible. The registration fee is a fair compromise.
The bill also stipulates that any existing home theaters be retrofitted with the technology or else the owner is responsible for directly informing the MPAA and receiving approval before each viewing.
Just because you buy a DVD to watch at home doesn't give you the right to invite friends over to watch it too.
The MPAA has lost its mind.
THey are outta they freakin mind.
What a load of liberal, socialist crap. As long as I don't charge a fee to the folks coming to my house to watch the DVD, I can play whatever, whenever, with whoever I bloody well please.
THIS IS SATIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm screwed...
I was looking for the Onion link, but, like, they aren't really series, are they?
This is satire. Right?
Yes ! I realized too late. Sorry.
BBSpot is satire.
The way around it is to have very uncomfortable chairs or to make your friends look at the screen through toilet paper tubes. That should make them happy, right? ;-)
Satire, yes. But just barely. I just read a piece about what these people have in mind for the future. Essentially, they want total control over how we all listen to music and watch video. Not only are they working to stop digital copying, they're also working to "plug the analog hole" in music playing devices so as to prevent any analog to digital recording.
If Congress passes such idiocy (Senator Hatch, pay attention), Congress should be retired.
I think they plan to do the same for audio systems. Any playing of CDs for friends would be a violation, as well.
Yes it has, in addition to an unbridled arrogance and breathtaking lust for control that "hubris" does not begin to describe.
Or is it sheer desperation and greed? The problem is that many in Congress are in their hip pocket, or vice-versa. I kinda' hope they try it--the revolution will begin.
I think it's working!
What's telling is that the MPAA, along with the RIAA, have been so aggressive this satire is believable! Sad.
With so much idiocy passing for sanity in today's world, it is difficult to separate satire from reality.
Not long ago, Senator Hatch was advocating blowing up computers that had music downloads on them.
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