PERFORM act

platform equality and remedies for rights holders in music. that's the latest clever acronym to disguise a piece of legislation being put in place by a very specific (and coincidentally filthy rich) corner of an industry we all know and love...

what's this one all about, you ask?

perform, at first glance, seems to be there for two reasons--firstly, the riaa wants more money from satellite radio providers, and secondly, because it's an opportunity to set more precedents and get a little more case law going their way.

specifically, riaa is pissed about the hybrid satellite radio/mp3 player combos coming down the pipe. the reason they're mad is because these devices allow you to timeshift and/or your paid for subscription content so it can be listened to at a different time or setting. well, both of these practices (timeshifting and placeshifting) fall under the concept of 'fair use' and if you've followed the anything about the riaa, you prolly know how they feel about fair use...

anyway, it seems that they're still unhappy with current laws covering fair use (not to mention relatively recent laws--such as the dmca--which attack the legal basis of such concepts as fair use) and are still persuing methods of weakening consumers' rights, ensuring their ability to squeeze unfair percentages out of both the artists whose work they're getting rich off and their own customers who are making it possible, and to strengthen their own abilities to control (through legal means and business tactics) market variables, release (and the disabling of functions) of new technologies.

announcements like this make me want to redouble my efforts in opening people's eyes (my own as well as others) and to go out and find (or make!) more alternative media choices.

you don't like what's on tv? get a camcorder and go make your own video. don't like the crap clearchannel puts on most of the radio stations in america? go find an internet radio show you do like. go _make_ your _own_ internet radio show. go volunteer at your local public station. get a short wave and listen to international broadcasts. go to the library and read a book. _write_ a book. draw a picture. go for a walk. reassess the media you consume on a daily basis and think about why you're into what you are.

think about how it used to be. think about how it is. think about how it might be soon. think about how that makes you feel.

don't forget that we _do_ still have power. we do still have functioning brains and independent wills. we can do things on our own. we can bond together and accomplish things. amazing things.

new products and ideas don't have to come from some corporation.

we are the people and knowing that makes me feel vibrant and alive.

--cid

0wn your media consumption habits

if you want to read more about the perform act (and other laws pertaining to the rights of citizens) please check out the following...

if you know me, you know i'm always pimpin' the eff. and there's the hrrc and and article about the situation (and another). oh, and an arstechnica article, too. and, the actual text.

keep your eyes 0pen....