Music industry watch

Hollywood pushes more stupid bills

Declan McCullagh talks about how the entertainment industry is losing Senator Hollings and is picking up Representatives Lamar Smith, R-Texas; Howard Berman, D-Calif.; and John Conyers, D-Mich. as the official ass-clowns for asinine entertainment bills:

The fine print says huge categories of software--including Web browsers, instant messaging clients and e-mail utilities--that are offered for download must contain a warning that it "could create a security and privacy risk."

And the catch? If the companies or individuals who offer the software for download don't comply with the requirement, they will face criminal penalties such as fines or prison terms of up to six months. Even, that is, if the software is actually secure and poses no security risk.

What exactly is the goal of this law?? To put computer company executives in jail? While that might not be a bad thing, it is not clear what this new bill is supposed to solve. I don't see this bill as anything other than a FUD generator for the recording industry.

I doubt that this idiotic bill will become a law -- just like the previous plan hatched by Hollings. And even if it does become a law, people will sue to stop it before it can take effect -- much like the infamous Communications Decency Act.

Now Hollywood needs to wake up and realize that the crummy laws they are pushing don't work!

Posted by Mayhem at October 22, 2003 02:24 PM