Powerful Senator Endorses Destroying Computers of Illegal Downloaders (Orrin Hatch)

AP ^ | 6/17/03 | Ted Bridis

[cherry_bomb88]

Y'all are missing the bigger point.....they are watching/tracking what we download....

What's next??? The dems get into power and blow up our computers for participating in FR???? Or listening to Rush 24/7?????

[adam_az]

Luckily, we have special protections built into Krusgnet to protect against this kind of skullduggery.

[unixfox]

I guess my backups won't do any good huh Orrin?

[Mo1]

"I'm interested," Hatch interrupted. He said damaging someone's computer "may be the only way you can teach somebody about copyrights."

Hey Hatch, I sure hope you were not serious about this ..

If you try to destroy peoples computers .. You my Dear Senator WILL be voted out of office

[cherry_bomb88]

ROTFL....man, I hope they do just so I could see that!!!!(kidding) but it would be funny!

[ThinkDifferent]

This is letting the record companies be judge, jury and executioner.

Exactly. I'm astounded that Hatch is seriously proposing this. I thought he might have a clue based on some of his comments about problems with the DMCA, but apparently not.

[cherry_bomb88]

CD Trader! Let someone else pay the big bucks....lol

[tracer]

What a poltroon. Will the good citizens of Utah continue to be so lame as to re-elect this guy for yet another decade of bluster and bull$#!t?

As an attorney and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Hatch surely is quite be familiar with the concept of due process under the law. Would he be willing to personally indemnify all wrongfully-accused Americans with respect to the unjustified destruction of their computers and the data, records, and work products contained therein?

Hatch is, in my view, one of the sorriest of creatures that make up a subset of my co-religionists, in that he is the prototypical Utah Mormon Weenie of the Mitt Romney genre -- not to be confused with other members of the "Mormon" Church residing in Utah and around the world who simply are living their lives in accordance with the Gospel.

From his prideful attempts at becoming a contemporary music star; to his arrogant demeanor, which I am sorry to say I have observed up-close-and-personal; to his companying with and abetting of the worst of the liberal scum now infesting our republic; to his ongoing metamorphosis into a more-than-liberal RINO, he should be viewed as a disappointment and an embarrassment to his ever-gullible constituency from whose values he continues to diverge.

Hang it up, Orrin, and make people happy with your honestly genuine musical talent......

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

If the computer is destroyed, there may not be evidence to prove the violation. There will be liability for damage to the equipment and damage to the business interests of the party who owned the damaged computer.

Great point, I think I would almost enjoy losing everything on my computer-because I'm taking money out of hungry Record Execs mouths, just to take on Orrin Hatch.

To think I respected this guy for fighting for Estrada and Owens, what an absolute moron, and corporate shill.

[Petronski]

There was a Mac virus that changed the monitor refresh rate...pumped it up so high that the monitor caught fire if the machine was running long enough.

LOL! That's hilarious.

[stands2reason]

Man, Scottish Law is way harsh...

[oremites]

Does Hatch realize exactly how much of that stuff in the Mormon genealogical archives has been purloined from copyrighted books and articles?

Are you saying that you can copyright genealogical information? Can history be copyrighted? This is a serious question, because I don't know the law here.

[Cachelot]

I would love to know how one goes about remotely "destroying a computer".

Not actually too difficult. There are a few viruses and worms around that do the trick, if you're unlucky and they bite you on the right day.

But if music companies actually go about writing malware, it will sure be interesting to watch the retaliation ;).

[Prince Charles]

The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Tuesday he favors developing new technology to remotely destroy the computers of people who illegally download music from the Internet. The surprise remarks by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, during a hearing on copyright abuses represent a dramatic escalation in the frustrating battle by industry executives and lawmakers in Washington against illegal music downloads.

You can always count on Whorin' Atch to say somethin' stoopid.

[Alberta's Child]

As long as Hatch is in this kind of mood, why don't we re-design the U.S. Capitol so that the roof caves in on both chambers whenever Congress passes an unconstitutional law?

[Myrddin]

The senator acknowledged Congress would have to enact an exemption for copyright owners from liability for damaging computers.

Copyright © 2003 by Myrddin

Surprise! You've just downloaded a copyrighted work. As the owner of this copyrighted work, I'm now protected by the government for the damage that is currently being done to your computer.

I'll bet the virus writers are just ecstatic at the prospect of hanging a copyright notice on each virus and thumbing their collective noses at Orrin Hatch.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

There was a Mac virus that changed the monitor refresh rate...pumped it up so high that the monitor caught fire if the machine was running long enough.

LOL! That's hilarious.

Would you care to clarify your remarks? There is nothing hilarious about that. Unless it is happening to Record Executives, but that goes without saying.

[JohnnyZ]

Like, this is a joke? Correct? He can't be serious?

He's probably serious now, but that doesn't mean anything when he gets opposition

"Don't count your Hatch before he chickens", as they say.

[nravoter]

They can have my illegal downloads when they pry them from my cold, carpal tunneled mouse hand.