If one of these senators is yours (mine is among them), please call them up and explain to them how badly you DO NOT WANT the broadcast flag. The broadcast flag is a crappy idea that, if passed, shows how much power the entire citizenry (nearly none of whom would want this) has against the few Big Media interests who are pushing it through.

Just in case you have missed it, here’s the short summary: the FCC tried to mandate that all TVs made must respect a “Broadcast flag” that doesn’t allow you to record the digital tv show. The court system struck down the mandate as outside the FCC’s grant of power from Congress, so now the RIAA and MPAA are trying to get it pushed through congress that the FCC can do this.

Aside from the side-effect that consumers will no longer be able to do many otherwise legal things with digital TV (Time-shifting, anyone? Want to record TV and watch it later? The supreme court says that’s a legal use of technology, though obviously the companies making this stuff would love to get you to pay extra for it. We had to get the supreme court to stand up for that one), the really big problem is what this bill would actually be covering.

It’s basically telling all computer makers, all TV makers, all PDA makers, and all cell-phone makers that they must obey content industries. Yup, since all of those devices either can right now receive digital television, or will within the next few years, this bill would potentially restrict manufacturers of pretty much every sort of electronic device.

I’m mad, and I’ll be calling my senator to express my disgust that he would associate himself with this.

UPDATE — My bad, my Senator is merely on the commerce committee, the house of representatives who support this crap are here. He’ll still certainly be hearing of my opinions on the matter.

Posted by Jordan on Tuesday, October 11th, 2005 at 10:25 am.