Copyright Cartel Goes for Big Score

Copyright Cartel Goes for Big Score

Wired News: Senate May Ram Copyright Bill. Several lobbying camps from different industries and ideologies are joining forces to fight an overhaul of copyright law, which they say would radically shift in favor of Hollywood and the record companies and which Congress might try to push through during a lame-duck session that begins this week. The Senate might vote on HR2391, the Intellectual Property Protection Act, a comprehensive bill that opponents charge could make many users of peer-to-peer networks, digital-music players and other products criminally liable for copyright infringement. The bill would also undo centuries of “fair use” — the principle that gives Americans the right to use small samples of the works of others without having to ask permission or pay.

I have my doubts that this legislative sludge will make it all the way through Congress. But the fact that it’s even on the immediate agenda speaks to the enormous clout of the copyright cartel. This bill isn’t just tweaking at the edges. It’s a radical move, designed to control how we use digital media, mainly to prevent us from doing things with it that the copyright owners don’t specifically authorize. I’m tempted to laugh at the prohibition of skipping past commercials. To make this work, of course, we’ll need to chain people to their chairs and sofas, prohibiting anyone from heading to the bathroom or refrigerator while the commercial is running. Public Knowledge has more information on this atrocious bill, and a page that helps you fax your opposition to your members of Congress. I suggest you call them — 202 224 3121 — instead. The cartel keeps pushing, pushing, pushing. Don’t let them get away with it.