Saw this article and it looked interesting. Anyone got thoughts on this? Basically, the gist seems to be an embeded flag in the signal to prevent copying of the signal. Electronics must have this implemented by 2005, meaning new VCRs, DVD recorders, etc. will have a security check built in so you can't distribute or burn protected content even though it was broadcast over free TV airwaves.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rita Chang, Medill News Service
WASHINGTON-- To the dismay of consumer advocates, the Federal
Communications Commission (news - web sites) has voted to mandate
technology that prevents users from sharing copy-protected digital
broadcasts.
Tuesday's vote orders makers of hardware that can receive digital
television signals to build in recognition of broadcast "flags" that
copy-protect content. When the flag-compliant device, such as a PC or
DVD recorder, detects content containing a broadcast flag, it
prevents its "indiscriminate" transmission over the Internet.
What's Affected
A broadcast flag is a single bit added to the data stream of
broadcast DTV programming. By itself, the flag does not protect
content. Instead, the FCC (news - web sites) is mandating that
digital devices check all incoming data for a flag.
In its 5-0 vote, the FCC ruled vendors must comply with the broadcast
flag requirements in all equipment by July 1, 2005. Products such as
digital VCRs, DVD players, and PCs must then contain copy-protection
mechanisms that prevent users from distributing broadcast copyrighted
digital content over the Internet.
Existing PCs, televisions, VCRs, DVD players, and related equipment
will remain fully functional under the new broadcast flag rule.
The FCC ruling comes in the wake of political pressure exerted by the
movie and television industries. In a move to avert online piracy of
its movies, the Motion Picture Association of America told lawmakers
the movie industry would not license its "high-value" content for
digital television broadcast unless a rule prevented viewers from
distributing it in turn.
The ruling makes the television and movie industries the big winners,
although Rich Taylor, an MPAA spokesperson, is quick to point out
that "free over-the-air television would now be delivered."
In a statement, MPAA president Jack Valenti called the FCC
decision "a big victory for consumers and the preservation of high
value over-the-air free broadcasting."
"All the way around, the consumer wins, and free TV stays alive,"
Valenti said.
At What Cost?
But the ruling may mean higher prices for appliances like televisions
and PCs, whose prices have been declining.
"It's clear the scheme is fundamentally flawed as we are aiming to
protecting content by re-architecting devices," says Mike Godwin, a
senior technology counsel of Public Knowledge, a consumer watchdog
group. "It's a costly approach to protect copyrighted works in the
digital world."
The FCC is not requiring consumers to dump their existing devices,
but some say the rule will make some equipment obsolete. All
recordings made on compliant devices will be encrypted, which means
they must be played back on compliant devices.
"More than 40 million DVD players in consumers' homes today will not
be able to play content they record on new 'flagged' devices," says
Chris Murray, legislative counsel of the Consumers Union.
Adds Godwin, "You can't write to a DVD that plays in a legacy
player." Also, PCs designed to receive TV signals will cost more
because PC vendors will have to integrate the mandated copy-
protection mechanisms.
Other critics of the rule, including representatives of technology
companies, say it does not address current equipment that can
transmit digital content over the Internet. Just by allowing the
existing equipment to exist and function, the FCC undermines the very
holes it is trying to plug with the new rule, they say. For instance,
most of today's TV sets are analog, and by capturing analog broadcast
videos and digitizing them, consumers can circumvent the broadcast
rule.
Godwin says the rule also goes against the emerging convergence
between entertainment and personal electronic devices.
"We buy electronics with the idea of connecting them to each other,"
he says. With this rule, "we're going in the opposite direction."
Compromises Noted
A small victory for consumers, say consumer groups, is that the FCC
rule does allow fair use of copyrighted content. Two commissioners
dissented in part from the ruling, urging a fair use provision be
included. However, how it will be implemented is not clear. Consumers
can legally transmit copies of videos between home networks and their
home and workplace offices, although the rule does not address
details of how this might work, or how many copies are allowed.
The same critics credit the FCC for not letting movie studios dictate
the copy-protection technology. The MPAA wanted the rule to take
effect next summer, rather than the July 2005 deadline set by the FCC.
Some technology vendors are also breathing a sigh of relief that the
FCC does not favor a single copy-protection technology. Several
firms, notably Philips Electronics, expressed such concern when the
rule was under consideration. The FCC has promised an open
certification process for the copy-protection technologies.
"Any [anticompetitive] concerns we've raised have been addressed,"
says Mike Epstein, manager of technology and standards with Philips'
Intellectual Property and Standards group. But, he says, "the devil
is in the details."
For all the gray areas in the rule's implementation, most say the
best scenario after it takes effect is for consumers to continue to
seamlessly copy and distribute content under "fair use" parameters.
In the worst scenario, incompatibilities could exist among different
flag-compliant devices.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rita Chang, Medill News Service
WASHINGTON-- To the dismay of consumer advocates, the Federal
Communications Commission (news - web sites) has voted to mandate
technology that prevents users from sharing copy-protected digital
broadcasts.
Tuesday's vote orders makers of hardware that can receive digital
television signals to build in recognition of broadcast "flags" that
copy-protect content. When the flag-compliant device, such as a PC or
DVD recorder, detects content containing a broadcast flag, it
prevents its "indiscriminate" transmission over the Internet.
What's Affected
A broadcast flag is a single bit added to the data stream of
broadcast DTV programming. By itself, the flag does not protect
content. Instead, the FCC (news - web sites) is mandating that
digital devices check all incoming data for a flag.
In its 5-0 vote, the FCC ruled vendors must comply with the broadcast
flag requirements in all equipment by July 1, 2005. Products such as
digital VCRs, DVD players, and PCs must then contain copy-protection
mechanisms that prevent users from distributing broadcast copyrighted
digital content over the Internet.
Existing PCs, televisions, VCRs, DVD players, and related equipment
will remain fully functional under the new broadcast flag rule.
The FCC ruling comes in the wake of political pressure exerted by the
movie and television industries. In a move to avert online piracy of
its movies, the Motion Picture Association of America told lawmakers
the movie industry would not license its "high-value" content for
digital television broadcast unless a rule prevented viewers from
distributing it in turn.
The ruling makes the television and movie industries the big winners,
although Rich Taylor, an MPAA spokesperson, is quick to point out
that "free over-the-air television would now be delivered."
In a statement, MPAA president Jack Valenti called the FCC
decision "a big victory for consumers and the preservation of high
value over-the-air free broadcasting."
"All the way around, the consumer wins, and free TV stays alive,"
Valenti said.
At What Cost?
But the ruling may mean higher prices for appliances like televisions
and PCs, whose prices have been declining.
"It's clear the scheme is fundamentally flawed as we are aiming to
protecting content by re-architecting devices," says Mike Godwin, a
senior technology counsel of Public Knowledge, a consumer watchdog
group. "It's a costly approach to protect copyrighted works in the
digital world."
The FCC is not requiring consumers to dump their existing devices,
but some say the rule will make some equipment obsolete. All
recordings made on compliant devices will be encrypted, which means
they must be played back on compliant devices.
"More than 40 million DVD players in consumers' homes today will not
be able to play content they record on new 'flagged' devices," says
Chris Murray, legislative counsel of the Consumers Union.
Adds Godwin, "You can't write to a DVD that plays in a legacy
player." Also, PCs designed to receive TV signals will cost more
because PC vendors will have to integrate the mandated copy-
protection mechanisms.
Other critics of the rule, including representatives of technology
companies, say it does not address current equipment that can
transmit digital content over the Internet. Just by allowing the
existing equipment to exist and function, the FCC undermines the very
holes it is trying to plug with the new rule, they say. For instance,
most of today's TV sets are analog, and by capturing analog broadcast
videos and digitizing them, consumers can circumvent the broadcast
rule.
Godwin says the rule also goes against the emerging convergence
between entertainment and personal electronic devices.
"We buy electronics with the idea of connecting them to each other,"
he says. With this rule, "we're going in the opposite direction."
Compromises Noted
A small victory for consumers, say consumer groups, is that the FCC
rule does allow fair use of copyrighted content. Two commissioners
dissented in part from the ruling, urging a fair use provision be
included. However, how it will be implemented is not clear. Consumers
can legally transmit copies of videos between home networks and their
home and workplace offices, although the rule does not address
details of how this might work, or how many copies are allowed.
The same critics credit the FCC for not letting movie studios dictate
the copy-protection technology. The MPAA wanted the rule to take
effect next summer, rather than the July 2005 deadline set by the FCC.
Some technology vendors are also breathing a sigh of relief that the
FCC does not favor a single copy-protection technology. Several
firms, notably Philips Electronics, expressed such concern when the
rule was under consideration. The FCC has promised an open
certification process for the copy-protection technologies.
"Any [anticompetitive] concerns we've raised have been addressed,"
says Mike Epstein, manager of technology and standards with Philips'
Intellectual Property and Standards group. But, he says, "the devil
is in the details."
For all the gray areas in the rule's implementation, most say the
best scenario after it takes effect is for consumers to continue to
seamlessly copy and distribute content under "fair use" parameters.
In the worst scenario, incompatibilities could exist among different
flag-compliant devices.
