DRM More Important Than Life or Security?

An anonymous reader writes "Ed Felten of Freedom to Tinker has an interesting writeup regarding how copyright holders are still having serious objections to the built in exceptions of the DMCA even when it might threaten lives or national security. From the article: 'One would have thought they'd make awfully sure that a DRM measure didn't threaten critical infrastructure or endanger lives, before they deployed that measure. But apparently they want to keep open the option of deploying DRM even when there are severe doubts about whether it threatens critical infrastructure and potentially endangers lives.'"

Mr. President, we have a problem...

[jettoki]

The terrorists have open-sourced their WMDs, and the DRM on your BRR (Big Red Button) has expired. I've called an emergency meeting with Linus Torvald.

Re:In many countries...

[ArsenneLupin]

copyright infringement is already grounds for heftier punishment than some crimes against physical inviolability. What did you expect? He who pays the politician makes the laws.

And the logical conclusion to this is, that if you are caught red-handed violating copyright, you better punch, maim or kill the guy who caught you. You'll get a lighter sentence that way.

Re:In many countries...

[ArsenneLupin]

No. You'll get two sentences that way.

The point is to make sure nobody can report on your copyright violation. So punching and maiming may not be enough ;-)

Re:"Copyright holders" don't give a fuck ...

[hotdiggitydawg]

Da, comrade!

There, fixed it for you.

Bin Laden sues!

[Anonymous Coward]

In an unprecedented move, well-known terrorist Osama Bin Laden filed lawsuit in a federal court against the United States government for violation of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act. In a press statement released by Al Qaeda this afternoon, Bin Laden alleges the infringement to have occured in the bomb defusal in the White House last week. Citing the anti-circumvention clause of the DMCA, Bin Laden notes that the bomb squad allegedly circumvented access controls designed to prevent illegal copies of the bomb ignition software.

"We're hoping that this lawsuit will yield considerable damages and provide an injunction that will prevent future attempts to defuse bombs.", Bin Laden states from his cave "It's the only way to stop piracy."

Re:The scorpion and the frog

[elrous0]

treating the works of L. Ron Hubbard as a religion.

I personally get all my philosophical and religious instruction from hack sci-fi writers. Just this morning, I sacrificed a goat to Harlan Ellison.

-Eric

US Democracy in a nutshell

[Headcase88]

Homer: "Take a look at your beloved candidates, they're nothing but hideous space reptiles!" (unmasks them)
Kang: "Yes, it's true, we're evil aliens, but there's nothing you can do about it. It's a two-party system! You'll have to vote for one of us!"
Guy in Crowd: "Well I believe I'll vote for a third-party candidate!"
Kang: "Go ahead, throw your vote away! Hahahahahaha"