Recording Industry, Japanese Gov't Work To Break Your Mobile Phone If You Listen To Unauthorized Music
from the how-nice-of-them dept
You would think that the entertainment industry might look back at its rather long history of failed attempts to stop technological innovation from interfering with their business models and realize the sheer futility of trying to stop people from doing what they want to do, and could have learned that embracing what technology allows is a better path. But... that never seems to happen. Apparently the recording industry is now so worried that unauthorized file sharing on mobile phones is the next big threat, that rather than working on ways to use that to their advantage, they've teamed up with the Japanese gov't (note: not Japanese consumer electronics makers) to develop a system to break mobile phones if users are caught listening to unauthorized music.Think of it like an automated "three strikes" plan for your phone:
Details are scarce, but apparently the system would consist of a central database which contains information about music which is authorized to be downloaded. This system would be responsible for verifying that cellphone users weren't downloading illicit music. Those that do would be sent warning messages.Once again, the entertainment industry would prefer to break any new innovation rather than learn to adapt.
But of course, simple warnings aren't enough for the music industry. The report claims that the music capabilities of cellphones could be disabled for persistent infringers.
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Filed Under: japan, mobile phones, music, playback, three strikes
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Unlike other bizarre, overbearing DRM schemes, this one will be foolproof and will not be exploited or misused, or keep non-infringing users from being incorrectly locked out of aspects of a product they purchased.
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What a bunch of .....
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I predict a short death for this, or a mass exodus from whichever manufacturer is stupid enough to put this on their phone. A phone that breaks if a program orders it, based on the the status of stored data? What could go wrong?
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I was going to say the same thing. What, it's illegal to rip CDs for personal use in Japan?
"or a mass exodus from whichever manufacturer is stupid enough to put this on their phone."
"they've teamed up with the Japanese gov't (note: not Japanese consumer electronics makers)"
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One thing I'd like to know though: how much illegal infringement occurs via mobile phones? And as others have asked, how can a DB know which songs are legal or not?
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Please don't give them any ideas. No idea is too ridiculous for the recording industry to grasp at. I'm just glad you didn't suggest cutting off fingers so they couldn't press the buttons on their gadgets. Oh, dang. Now I am giving them ideas.
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you are thinking WAAAY to small in five years time it will look like this:
1) all movies and music not purchased from industry authorized retailers is illegally downloaded.
2) if you illegally download movies or music, the entertainment industry is authorized to hunt you down and kill you.
3) not purchasing media from industry approved retailers is considered illegal downloading.
4) therefore, if you do not make a monthly purchase of media in an amount determined by the industry, they will hunt you down and kill you.
and that's how you save the entertainment industry.
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Um ok
Of course, average Joe consumer is probably the most to blame for the RIAA continuing in their evil ways. How in the world has a mass boycott not taken care of this problem by now?
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Re: Um ok
The problem lies not in the boycott... the problem lies in the general public not being informed and being too stupid to realize what is or is not happening in this digital age. Too many people don't care or are willing to allow themselves to be taken advantage of by the big businesses of today. I am sure if we had a full out uprising against the MPAA and the RIAA, that they would fall and all content would belong to the people again.
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Nightmare job
I also hope the article is wrong about keeping track of songs that are "authorized to download." If I pluck out an original composition on my guitar and post it, then how will it get registered as "authorized to download?" Will I be allowed to request its authorization myself? Will I have to pay a fee to do so? If so, the list of songs authorized to download would be exceedingly short, and people could very easily get three strikes for downloading perfectly legal content.
Requiring copyright holders to register their work would be more workable, but still prone to a host of problems. Ironically, this sort of system would sort of take us back to pre-Berne Convention protocols for recorded music.
One big problem with requiring registration is that a file may be altered a bit or re-ripped and appear different than the original file. Files could be watermarked, but if all the music was locked up this way there would be a tremendous incentive for someone to produce de-watermarking software.
Let's suppose a workable registration system could be developed. It would mean that some music would come with a warning "Please don't listen to this song." That would create a fantastic opportunity for off-label musicians to be heard. Given the social nature of mobile use among Japanese youth, I can see why the Recording Industry is wetting its pants over this issue. If people really do use their phones as the primary music device, then the recording industry might as well fold up their tents and go home in the Japanese market.
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All that's...
Stop taking it lying down, stand up and fight.
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Please
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Whats it coming to?
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RERE
It is the best thing since sliced bread.
I hate the music industry, plus the thumb sucking governments that stick up for them.
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