naturally, the idea of allowing Big Content unprecedented end-to-end control over what users can do with audio and video is just as repugnant and unpopular as ever, so the RIAA expects government to do the job it's paid to do and compel unwilling parties into compliance with legislation.
Glazier's approach is an excellent illustration of how the snug relationship between Congress and Big Content works to insulate the legislative process from the pesky obstacles of transparency and democratic accountability:
first, Senator Fritz "Hollywood" Hollings (brought to you by Disney) engages in some loud saber-rattling by introducing the excrable SSSCA/CBDTPA, which threatens to hand over the design computers and consumer electronics to federal bureaucrats and Big Content lobbyist-weasels. this sets a new low-water-mark for citizens' fair-use, first-sale, and free speech rights. next, the Broadcast Protection Discussion Group (BPDG), a Big Content-run psuedo-quango, arbitrarily declares that it has reached a consensus on a "broadcast flag" for digital television, despite vocal and public dissention from major technology and consumer electronics companies. as for the media-consuming public -- they had no official role at all in the BDPG, despite the fact that the broadcast airwaves and copyright itself are the people's trust to be used by Big Content with our permission. finally, the RIAA's lobbyist-weasels, seeing the BDPG being declared a fait accompli, ride Jack Valenti's coattails and demand their share of the legislative spoils
"It's really the same model for what's already been happening on the video side," Glazier said.all very neat -- wouldn't you agree.
