Why Don't Consumers Have A Say?
from the ignore-the-people-it-affects-most dept
The latest Walt Mossberg column in the WSJ points out that while the Senate is holding hearings about copy protection schemes for the entertainment industry, they left out a crucial player. They invited the entertainment industry and the tech industry to testify. But, no one invited the consumers. It's a valid point. If Congress is supposed to be looking out for the rights of the people, and not just companies, you would think they would do a better job talking to the people who pay the salaries of the entertainment industry.
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This could apply to other industries
How long until the insurance industry decides that they could save bazillions of dollars each year if all automobiles had new 'technology' added that prevents them from speeding, etc.
Pretty much everyone agrees that speeding is illegal, and lots of people do it anyways (kind of like piracy).
Do you think Americans are going to want to buy cars with new, improved 'technology' that prevents them from exceeding the posted speed limit?
Who knows what other 'technology' could be implemented to help save other industries?
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Re: This could apply to other industries
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Re: This could apply to other industries
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What is missing
The artist, producer, distributer and others who would normally share in the sale of an item are deprived of income.
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Re: What is missing
That makes one very big assumption: that I would have bought the CD in the first place. If I never had any intention of buying it, then they're not losing anything.
Or... another way to look at it. If I open up a pizza place and charge $3/slice, and some guy opens up a pizza place next door to me and charges $2/slice - by your definition of stealing, that guy is stealing from me, because I'm deprived of income that otherwise would have gone to me. I don't get the income because the consumer has an alternative...
That's not stealing. That's business.
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piracy vs. used cd's?
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Re: What is missing
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Re: This could apply to other industries
Pretty much everyone agrees that speeding is illegal, and lots of people do it anyways (kind of like piracy).
There's nothing to "agree" on, it's either forbidden by law (definition of illegal) or it isn't.
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No Subject Given
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yeah right...consumers.
Actually, the entertainment industry has pretty much proven (and worked hard to convince Congress) that we aren't customers, that the majority of us are thieves and law-breakers who live to deprive them of their income, as such, I doubt they feel we should have ANY say.
I always thought that in the US, it was innocent until proven guilty. I guess that went out the door with "fair use" right? SIGH
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