Keep the Government off Your iPod

The Senate, in their boundless wisdom (while, of course, bowing down to the big businesses interests of the entertainment industry) are putting a bill on the table that will lead to FCC oversight on digital media technologies such as iPods, PSPs, and TiVo. The proposal would mean that the use of these techologies must be certified by the government as not being disruptive to the business model of the entertainment industry. I am strongly supportive of intellectual property rights, but this is not the way to protect artists - creating copy-proof digital information is a futile goal:

Governments that try to protect businesses that demand copy-proof bits are like governments that try to protect businesses on the sides of volcanoes, who demand an immediate end to business-disrupting lava. If the current entertainment companies can't or won't adapt to a world of bits, that's too bad. Let them die, and let new businesses that thrive in the new technological reality take their place. If you can't stand the heat, get off the volcano.

The industry needs to stop fighting progress by using political lobbying, and work on changing their business model so it reflects the new reality. This bill will limit the ability of consumers to use new media technology (for example, by making it difficult to convert files so you can put them on an iPod). The Electronic Frontier Foundation has an action center here, where you can send a message to your Senator urging them to oppose the bill.

via H&R