Is "Fair Use" in Peril? ('Intellectual Property' Act strips away consumer rights)

Technology Review ^ | 11/19/2004 | Eric Hellweg

[Prime Choice]

Don't touch that dial, citizen! You wouldn't want that on your record, would you?

[Graybeard58]

Yet another stupid law that cannot be enforced.

[OSHA]

When they pry my fast forward button from my cold dead hands!

[buddyholly]

They'd better pass some gun legislation before trying to enforce that sort of law.

[international american]

Commercial police..ROTFLMAO

[Prime Choice]

Yet another stupid law that cannot be enforced.

...yet.

[MetaLoki]

I despise the RIAA and MPAA for reasons like this

[international american]

Madison Avenue is back on the blotter acid again!

[Luddite Patent Counsel]

Stupid and absolutely unenforceable. As long as you have legitimate ownership of a copyrighted work, you can do anything you please with that copy. This would be like saying you had to listen to every song on an album every time you played it. Even if passed, it's going to mean nothing.

[1stMarylandRegiment]

Well, we all got along just fine before Beta and VHS (and CD and DVD and FM Radio).

Maybe libraries will just have to put some books on their shelves for us poor, benighted Red-State'rs

[killjoy]

Intellectual property theft is a national security crime.

Continually gutting copyright laws by creating copyrights that do not expire and eliminating fair use is a crime against humanity.

[killjoy]

Stupid and absolutely unenforceable.

Not really. The goal is not to go after consumers but to go after producers of things like Tivo to make it impossible for the end user to skip over the commercials.

[Prime Choice]

As long as you have legitimate ownership of a copyrighted work, you can do anything you please with that copy.

Not if you have a TiVo. Those things are currently in the process of receiving patches so your system will auto-delete the shows you record after a certain period of time. Doesn't matter what your wishes are...the corporations come first.

Even if passed, it's going to mean nothing.

Today, perhaps. Tomorrow, I doubt it.

[EternalVigilance]

I wonder if the Trade Federation will have Storm Troopers?

May the force be with you...

Heh...

[skip_intro]

I wonder where the Senator from the RIAA, Orin Hatch, stands on this?

[MizSterious]

This is so stupid. What's next? Locking viewers in their barcoloungers so they can't get up and have a snack during a commercial? Will they outlaw having books in the same room, lest someone read during commercials? Will the mute button be next? And what will they do with the folks who just turn the darned thing OFF?

Hey, advertising folks--get over it! We hate most of your smarmy ads and there's no way you can force us to watch them!

[Tench_Coxe]

"As long as you have legitimate ownership of a copyrighted work, you can do anything you please with that copy. This would be like saying you had to listen to every song on an album every time you played it. Even if passed, it's going to mean nothing."

According to the RIAA, that $15 dollars you shuck out for an album only entitles you to lease the music subject to the RIAA diktats.

[Dan from Michigan]

I'll fastforward the ads anyway. Screw them. My VCR. My TV. My tape. My choice.

It's not like I'm selling the damn thing. It's for my own personal use.

[Nick Danger]

What's next? Locking viewers in their barcoloungers so they can't get up and have a snack during a commercial?

No snacks! Snacks are bad. Eat your spinach. And no reclining in that barcalounger, either. It's bad for your spine.

[IStillBelieve]

You concern should be how far they will trying to enforce it.