« Still No Cure For Cancer... | Main | Equal Time »

September 17, 2003

Have You Opposed The RIAA Today?

Do something useful today! Tell your elected representatives in the United States Senate that you want to see them reign in the runaway abuse of consumers permitted under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) has introduced a bill known as The Consumers, Schools, and Libraries Digital Rights Management Awareness Act of 2003 (PDF Version). According to the online privacy watchdog group Electronic Frontier Foundation, which supports Sen. Brownback's bill, the Act will:

  • Require conspicuous labeling of CDs, DVDs, and software that limits consumer uses with "digital rights management" (DRM) restrictions

  • Impose strict limits on the Federal Communication Commission's ability to impose federal regulations (i.e., "tech mandates") on digital television innovators

  • Preserve the right to donate digital media products to libraries and schools

    While these are not giant steps in and of themselves, the bill itself sends a message. American consumers are tired of seeing their traditional fair use rights trampled by the entertainment industry. Contrary to the RIAA's propoganda, the wounds that are killing the industry are entirely self-inflicted.

    You can find the email addresses of your state's Senators here.

    If you're suffering from a bit of writer's block, here's what I sent to my senators:


    Hon. Judd Gregg (mailbox@gregg.senate.gov)

    Hon. John Sununu (mailbox@sununu.senate.gov)

    Senators Gregg and Sununu,

    I am writing to strongly encourage you to support Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas in his efforts to enact the Consumers, Schools, and Libraries Digital Rights Management Awareness Act of 2003. Senator Brownback's bill represents a significant step in restoring the balance between the rights of intellectual property owners and consumers that was dangerously altered by the ill-conceived Digital Millennium Copyright Act. DMCA granted copyright holders the ability to obtain subpoenas demanding the identity of ISP customers without review by a judge. This is a fundamental violation of privacy and a denial of due process to American consumers. Provisions of DMCA have already been extensively abused by the Recording Industry Association of America in its quixotic crusade against online file trading. Senator Brownback's bill would reign in the runaway abuse of consumers by copyright holders.

    I look forward to reading about your position on this vital legislation.

    Very Truly Yours,



    Be sure to include your name, your email address and your real address, so they can tell that you're actually a constituent.

    Posted by Dan at September 17, 2003 05:01 PM

    Comments

    Dearest Senator Brownback:
    Please, please stop the current medicare "reform" bill.
    Handing medicare over to the HMO,s and the drug industry.
    I am a member of AARP and a Republican and feel betrayed by both.
    Please, do the right thing and stop this awful legislation.

    Posted by: Edward Judd at November 24, 2003 11:21 AM

    Post a comment

    Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)

    (If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)


    Remember me?