Comments on: Congress readies broad new digital copyright bill

Instead of reforming the controversial DMCA, the U.S. government seems poised to expand it in a sweeping proposal.

[revelation2us]

Money and more Greed

Record labels, management and all, are already living the lifestye most of us will never dream to fathom. In my opinion, this "war" against illegal downloading as they call it is a bunch of crap. For me, and most people I know, downloads are simply to just to chill and listen to a bit of music or what ever,just like Radio, only without the commercials. If I am a die hard fan of any artist I buy their Cd's not cause it the right thing but because original's normally have more info on the artist, and it's worth paying for.I've never met anyone who really is a fan and don't have original CD's.
I got a few questions for you guys:
Who invented the internet? Who invented CD DVD burners and blank CD and DVD's? what about mp3? First they make all this great stuff but now they are saying, of no, it's illegal to use it? If this is the case, then that was their plan for the begining, cause any idiot knows, what good is a CD burner if you can't burn music? Similarly, they say DVD's are only to burn home movies, so what then, CD's are to burn home music? noone, nor myself what's to hear me sing, trust me.
It's all a big money scam to lure people who in essence would not even buy CD's to begin with to get them to pay for it all.
All the studies about CD sales falling are also nonsence, cause I dont see any Artist's living on welfare, do you? and have they taken into consideraing a large number of people went from buying legal CD to downloading legally?
If everone paid for every single download, the music biz would turn from a milti billion dollar industry to the multi- Trillion dollar industry, and that's what they want.


Money
- the more you got, the more you want.

[GTOfan]

10 years for $1000? !!!

Did I read it right? The penalty for re-posting a copyrighted news story "worth $1000" could be punishible by 10 years in prison!!!

Something's very wrong here. The punishment is WAY out of line with the crime.

[GrandpaN1947]

Time to rid us of Republicans

Looks like it's time to voet Demorat. The Republican extremists have gone too far again. They won't stop until all our civil liberties are gone. How about a brainscan to see if we have been thinking of copyright infringement?

[jeolmeun]

Aren't RIAA/MPAA == Democrats?

Aren't some of the labels and artists of RIAA/MPAA Democrats?

[jimkress_35]

No, Politicians and bureaucrats are the problem

No, Politicians and bureaucrats are the problem.

There is no distinguishable difference between the majority of the Democrats and the majority of the Republicans.

They are all Liberals who only desire to enlarge the power and authority of the State. They aspire to be viewed as the 21st Century versions of Lenin and Marx.

Remember, if you pass a huge number of laws then you can better control the people because when you have that many laws, someone will always be in violation of at least one so you always have cause to arrest anyone.

[Stan Kee]

Give Me A Break

I'm tired of this Republican...Democrat bull. If your only response is to vote for Democrat then obviously you're not serious about solving this issue. Both are part of the problem. Do you even read the articles posted on CNET. Both parties are guilty. Are some of you so boxed in mentally that you don't realize there are other options. Seems some would rather play political games than make a sacrifice that will eventually result in change.

[GrandpaN1947]

Time to rid us of Republicans

Looks like it's time to vote Demorat. The Republican extremists have gone too far again. They won't stop until all our civil liberties are gone. How about a brainscan to see if we have been thinking of copyright infringement?

[alphtoo]

Time for change, but...

the Democritters are no better than the Republicrats. If we voters are serious about changing things we will get rid of the vast majority from both major parties and only elect people committed to the restoration of our Constitution. Very few of our legislators have shown the slightest concern for it, except when it can be construed to mean what they want it to mean. I sometimes wonder if these people can even read! Dear fellow voters, I implore you: study the Constitution *as it was written*, and the Bill of Rights. Then when some dingbat politician ignores it, campaign against him and work to get him voted out of office. I don't care what label they wear, Democrat, Republican, Independent, whatever... they've taken an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. Those who work to destroy it should be tried for treason, and traitors should not be excused.

[jimkress_35]

No, Politicians and bureaucrats are the problem.

No, Politicians and bureaucrats are the problem.

There is no distinguishable difference between the majority of the Democrats and the majority of the Republicans.

They are all Liberals who only desire to enlarge the power and authority of the State. They aspire to be viewed as the 21st Century versions of Lenin and Marx.

Remember, if you pass a huge number of laws then you can better control the people because when you have that many laws, someone will always be in violation of at least one so you always have cause to arrest anyone.

[AJCAL]

these so-called "republicans"

Anything is better than a village idiot and his money-grubbing cronies pandering to big business, at the expense of civil liberties! Unfortunately a lot of the damage has already been done - I hope all the past-republican voters have realized their ignorance and stupidity and are ready to vote for a change in course!

[bugmenot]

America - land of the free

America, land of the free, a land where guns are legal but a copy of DeCSS can get you 10 years in jail.

Over here we had a rapist let out after less than a year. It sounds like the legal system really has a priority problem.

[lorcro2000]

Land of the free - yeah right

The USA has the worlds highest imprisonment ratio per 100k people, and the amount of people in jail numbers in the millions. Still, this is all about money. A rapist may be a big problem for the rapee, but the politicians couldn't care less. They can't cash in on making rapists pay...

[Migraine]

Time to Rid our selves of the US Goverment!

It's time to get rid of the US goverment!

I say it's time for "Civil War 2.0!"

We need to take out all of the us goverment, That communist Bush most of all!

[amigabill]

rid us od politicians

I don't think the government is the problem, but I do think that politicians are the worst choice of people we let run it. We should outlaw lobbying system, and get the government back on track for what it's supposed to be, and it's supposed to serve the people. If we didn't have government officials who make money from oil in charge, then we'd already have cars running on alternative fuels instead of Bush's long-term "plan". We could already be in Brazil's position where they expect to be completely self-suficient for fuel very soon. We shouldn't have oil tycoons holding us back because it's bad for America to hold us back, but I genuinly don't believe that our politicians care what's good for America.

[Sithlrd]

Wake up

Spread the word to every non-computer person you know. Congress doesnt' give two white what we think. But if we all get our non-tech friends an family to understand, and VOTE OUT THE FACISTS, then something can be done.

This aint your grand pappy's America any more.

[jhorvatic]

This law says we are all guilty of piracy

This outrageous law basically says everyone is guilty of piracy
before due process in a court of law. Communisum would be what I
call this. The U.S. government does not believe in peoples rights
anymore. Big business is spending millions in bribes paying off
greedy government officials to make these ridiculous laws.
Recording of any kind will be prohibited. If this law is passed
everyone needs to stop buying DVD's, CD's, and any recorded
media of any kind. We the people need to gain control of our fair
rights use.

[oddlou]

Communism

Communism: A theoretical economic system characterized by the collective ownership of property and by the organization of labor for the common advantage of all members.

Seems like a true communist might be in favor of sharing...you might have been better served using the word totalitarianism...

[oddlou]

Communism

Communism: A theoretical economic system characterized by the collective ownership of property and by the organization of labor for the common advantage of all members.

Seems like a true communist might be in favor of sharing...you might have been better served using a word like totalitarianism...`

[MythicalMe]

Communism??? What are you talking about?

Communism is an economic system and is most notably confused with socialism. Socialism has been used to as a tool to deny rights to individuals, as in the PRC (China), but so has other forms of government such as monarchies and dictatorships.

I think the word to best describe what you are saying is totalitarian.

[Don_Dodge]

Will C/Net sue me for copyright infringement?

This story is absolutely amazing! Attorney General Gonzales actually believes that Internet hackers fund terrorist activities? You gotta be kidding?

I was VP of development for the original Napster before the RIAA and the courts shuts us down, so I am a little sensitive to copyright paranoia. The pendulum seems to have swung waaaay too far in the other direction with this proposed legislation.

I wrote a blog on copyrights today. Will C/Net sue me because I used snippets of their article in the post? This bill would seem to make me a criminal. http://dondodge.typepad.com/the_next_big_thing/2006/04/copyright_hacke.html

[AbuAnas]

RE:

May be we should call the FBI and SWAT in (should we involve the Delta since the terrorism?) to catch you. Then You can blog out all you want for the next 10 coming years out of solitary confinement.

[baswwe]

Murderes and crack dealers get less jail time!!

What the hell?

[VI Joker]

It makes sense...

Murders and crack dealers do not cause companies and organizations who contribute to the campaigns of politicians to "lose" profits. Its all done in the name of keeping the fat cats fat. Losing money is a far more dangerous thing than killers and drug dealers.

[phasam]

Somewhere there's a few briefcases

full of money changing hands...

[umbrae]

Email your Congressman!

Write a letter about your concerns and send it to them every week or month. Get as many people to do it. When they understand it will affect their re-election it will be sat on or voted against.

Problem is too many do not exercise their rights and contact their elect officials to tell them about their position. Todays republicans do this, but independents and democrates usually don't. Take up arms on issues you believe are important!

[therottenapple.net]

how to contact your elected officials

Of course writing to one's elected officials is the correct way to do this. But you gotta tell people *how*.

Start with google and find your officials in Washington DC. Also, go to eff.org or a similar group where you can look up what they're doing in your state house and senate. Try to google your representatives and find the email or snail-mail addresses.

After finding the representatives' contact info, you can probably also find a web site dedicated to the bills currently before them.

Eff.org often has form letters you can simply add your name and email address to and easily send to your elected officials.

But don't hassle your representatives with repeatedly sending the same message... That only takes away from your credibility.

[MisterFlibble]

Again, are you ready to vote against republicans yet?

What will it take? How much of our freedom are you willing to sacrifice just to not let gay people get married, or whatever your reason was to vote for them? You're voting aginst your ownself interest, WE oversee the government, it's not the other way around. Will we all watch the constitution erode away at the corptacrosy of the 'New America'? We will we let the corporations continue to take OUR governemnt away from us? When you vote this November, keep this in mind.

[amigabill]

careful...

>WE oversee the government, it's not the other way
>around. Will we all watch the constitution erode
>away at the corptacrosy of the 'New America'? We
>will we let the corporations continue to take OUR
>governemnt away from us?

Don't let the government hear you say that. They'll label you a domestic terrorist conspirator or something and throw you in jail for the rest of your life...

But, at the risk of being labeled unamerican myself, I agree, and I'd like to see a lot of thing go back to what the founding fathers intended. Copyrights were limited-time back then, and they had reasons for that. Patents were to protect the small inventor, not the gargantuous corporate conglomerate, and they were not intended to prevent progress like they do today. Government wasn't meant to meddle in every detail of our everyday lives, it was to protect us from would-be conquerers and local crime, not to tell us the right and wrong ways to raise our kids or to protect obsolete business models from obsolescence (RIAA and cds!) when better ways of doing the same thing have appearred and consumers obviously prefer it (legal mp3 purchases via internet). Nor was the government intended to scare its citizens and treat them like Orwell's vision might, and it does feel like we're quickly going in that direction.

I wish we'd had a better democtrat candidate last time. If we did, I think it'd have been different. For those who are registered republican, I hope you all consider to end the Bush family dynasty and get someone with different way of doing things on the ballot next time around. People, whatever you do, vote for the guy that will do the least selling us out.

[alphtoo]

None so blind as those who will not see

As long as the American voters remain convinced that our options are either Republicrats or Democritters, nothing of substance will change. One definition of insanity is "doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results." We have been forming up behind these same two parties for my entire lifetime and no matter which one holds the most power at any given time, things just kept getting worse. I totally agree that we are in dire need of change. My point is that anyone who believes positive change can be brought about by either major party hasn't been paying attention (for at least fifty years). This is simple: the only way to stop getting what you're getting is to stop doing what you're doing.

Why do we persist in electing and re-electing these crooked airheads to run the government? And think about it: we have too many laws on the books as it is, so why do we keep electing (hiring) lawyers to legislate new ones? We need people who will work hard to reduce the volume of laws (thus the expense of enforcing them). Eliminating laws is not in the nature of lawyers. We need to elect more dentists.

[jimkress_35]

No, Politicians and bureaucrats are the problem.

No: Politicians and bureaucrats are the problem.

There is no distinguishable difference between the majority of the Democrats and the majority of the Republicans.

They are all Liberals who only desire to enlarge the power and authority of the State. They aspire to be viewed as the 21st Century versions of Lenin and Marx.

Remember, if you pass a huge number of laws then you can better control the people because when you have that many laws, someone will always be in violation of at least one so you always have cause to arrest anyone.

[amigabill]

terrorism?!

>Gonzales said, adding that proceeds from the
>illicit businesses are used, "quite frankly, to
>fund terrorism activities."

Can we do anything anymore without bringing up terrorism? Sorry, but that made me laugh. All them college kids downloading mp3s or TV shows for free can't be helping the bad guys that much, can they? Where's the money coming FROM in that, as the evil downloaders are doing so "for free", or so the numerous RIAA lawsuits are alledging.

[umbrae]

Of Course!

The BUSH administration cannot get ANYTHING done unless they scare the beegeebee's out of everyone. The only reason he won the last election is because he made everyone so affraid the "terrorists" would come get us if Kerry was elected. I hope all those people feel as foolish as they look now.

So you know Bush really wants it when get says the boogey man is gonna get you!

[orbital318]

The recording industry will be supprised when...

The recording industry will be supprised when they find out that 2/3 of the people on the internet today are stealing something. That arresting 50 million americans will pose a more daunting task that $20 million will not pay for. All this just makes me want to fine an IP mask :P

[orbital318]

Democrats Republicans

THis has nothing to do with parties I am a liberal and I hate hillaries stance on Video Game censorship. I think its us against the Gov't and the politicians!

[n8_glenn]

We have power!

We don't have to take this lying down. Why do you think the government is so hell bent on spying on us all and taking away all our rights? We all know why the shadowy figures behind bush push this legislation at him to be pushed at congress, it's to milk us for every last dime they can get from us and put us in jail if we fail to cough up enough. But the reason they want to spy on us, and subjegate us, and constantly lie to us is because we really do have the power to overthrow them and change our government for the better. Yes, we could do it violently I'm sure, but a much more efficient way would be to simply vote them out! Teddy Roosevelt started his own political party around the turn of the century because big business had become so powerful and oppressive that it was destroying our democracy and degrading the quality of life of a large number of americans. They were selling watered down axle grease (which was white) to people and calling it milk, and noone was there to stop them. People got fed up and they changed things for the better, by ignoring the republicans and the democrats and following teddy and his "bull moose" party. Let there be no doubt that we are in a similar situation today, and if we vote in democrats instead of republicans we are only playing along with the game of the powerful and falling right back into the same old trap. Their policies are actually very similar in the end, they only seem different on the surface. What we need to do is stop voting for democrats or republicans because they tell us it's the only way, but to think for ourselves and vote our conscience. I personally think the green party is a good choice, and if we vote in independent candidates or candidates which are not beholden to the democrat or republican money machines, then their power will be broken! We can do it, we just have to believe it and then follow through with it. If we couldn't do it, then they would have no reason to fear us, to spy on us, or to take away our rights.

[Dave_Brown]

Crime & Punishment

Aren't the prisons already overcrowded enough? Like a couple of posters already mentioned, should the penalty not fit the crime? Violent criminals often get out before a lot of these alleged "criminal" downloaders/sharers will.

Citizens need to organize and lobby the government just like these corporations do, maybe then we will get some laws that actually protect the public interest.

[PogoWolf]

Congress Scares me.

Am I the only one scared that moronic people are making the laws that we all must follow? People that don't know the technology? Why should groups of companys create policy for the whole of the US?

[ajbright]

I wonder how much it does cost

to buy a few congressmen.

Once again the US Congress has proved it will sell out to the highest bidder. Maybe if we all clubbed together we could buy our own counter congressmen.

So if they get their way, kids who copy movies will be going to prison longer than child molesters and rapists. Ofcourse once there, they will be taught a proper trade, such as armed robbery, murder and all sorts of interesting things we'd be happy for the future of our country to participate in - so long as it isn't breaking the copy protection of a DVD or CD.

I didn't used to have much sympathy for thieves who steal music, movies and video games - but I've changed my mind. At least they're honest in their own way, unlike our Congress, that at the moment is simultaneously pretending to change it's "for sale" ways, and selling out to the highest bidder at the same time.

[ShoutingLoudly]

Put your votes and $ down on this issue

I'm happy to try to buy a Congressman/woman this election, but it works a lot better to spread the money around. Also, don't underestimate the value of information subsidies--i.e., nonprofit groups.

See, e.g., ipaction.org, "a nonpartisan group dedicated to preserving individual freedom through balanced information policy." They're a PAC that voices most of what's been said on this board.

Also, give your money and time to the two key nonprofits on this issue. See:
publicknowledge.org
eff.org

Become a member. Even $50 or less is very much appreciated. They sit at the table with the RIAA goons and can use all the staff they can hire.

Finally, your Rep isn't reading this board. But s/he DOES read (indirectly) your mail and phone messages.

[maxwis]

It's $100,000

Based on what I have seen reading stories about campaign contributors and from www.opensecrets.org, it appears that the price of admission to buy a U.S. Congressperson is $100,000. At the local level it seems to be $10,000. Our democracy here could be made a whole lot more efficient and cheap by just selling legislation outright rather than going through the phoney charade of elections. We would also get rid of buffoons like Jesse Jackson who keep crying, "It's Selma All Over Again".

[cpudrewfl]

How about working on real problems

We need to work on real issues like $3-$4 gas and gettimg Adolph Bush out of office we need to recall that bastard.

[Pop4]

SKU me with eula's that can't be stepped on by DMCU!

Look. There is many well intended reasons for sitting all of the contrivercy surrounding rootkits. Mainly, no doudt, there are more than one recording artist who's only being is to be heard. Soley for their viewing audience;NOT! But, the new kids have so much more to give back to the future of RSS, Movie Downloads, MP3 support,etc.

Worry no-more yours has been forgotten. It's the Devil inside all of us, better billboard reviews; keep things simple, even at $3-$4 a gallon.

Cased my skidplate on the old Beta bike.