"While that's actually makes some since for the DOJ"
Huh? Come on guys - I'm not the worlds biggest grammar nazi (and I certainly don't point out every little typo), but I seriously expect better than that!
This is the most important part of this whole thing. If I'm the NRA I'd be filing an amicus brief over this. Eroding 3rd party liability protection is the path to punishing gun makers for murders. If I can build something that someone else can use to harm another - I can become a target of the DOJ. That can go a long way beyond software.
You would like to be safe, and I would really like to keep you safe, so let's make a deal - you give me something and I'll give you something.
What I offer to you is safety and security for life - never shall you be injured in a car accident, or robbed, or fall and bruise your knees; you'll never suffer from a sunburn, or break a bone, or need stitches; you will never know harm again - I will even extend this umbrella of protection to your children. THIS is a good deal.
In exchange, all you have to do is allow me to read every email you send or receive, every text message, every chat; I'll listen to every phone call, monitor every person you meet with, listen to every conversation you have; I'll inspect the groceries that you buy, the toys, the cars, the furniture; I'll monitor the books you have, the magazines, the newspapers you read, the TV you watch, the movies; I'll observe and record everything you read, write, see and talk about - inside the home or outside. Everywhere you go, everything you do; I will be watching - for the rest of your life.
Since you aren't doing anything, aren't reading anything, aren't watching anything, and aren't talking about anything I may find threatening, you have no reason to hide anything. You don't even need to do anything; it'll be like I'm not even there. Don't worry about the fact that I can't deliver on my promises, we all know it's impossible, but you'll FEEL so much safer. It's a good bargain - you should take it.
This has nothing to do with drugs or protecting the American public or American drug companies - although your leaders certainly would like people to see it that way.
This is about money, plain and simple.
America is broke. America has been broke, very broke, nearly broke and flat broke for a very long time now. Debt is spiraling out of control and deficits, of mind-numbing proportions, continue to be run - year after year. The American Government simply can't bring in enough revenue to pay its expenses with the current taxation-based revenue stream. The ongoing political roadblock (the solving of which makes peace in the middle east look easy) guarantees that the status quo will be maintained - so no solution to the problem is forthcoming and the government is now turning to alternative sources of revenue.
Which leads to this shakedown of various businesses through settlements or fines. Not unlike the concepts of Righthaven (or various other shakedown artists many of which are featured in posts on this site) the government is going after low hanging fruit that, it hopes, will roll over and pay rather than fight.
This is about money - the government needs it, the companies have it, it can't be obtained through taxation so - lawsuits and fines all around!
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by Roy.
Say what now???
"While that's actually makes some since for the DOJ"
Huh? Come on guys - I'm not the worlds biggest grammar nazi (and I certainly don't point out every little typo), but I seriously expect better than that!
he needs an easy year
I'm not sure it can be considered moving backwards, but headway is definitely in short supply there.
3rd party liability protection
let's make a deal
What I offer to you is safety and security for life - never shall you be injured in a car accident, or robbed, or fall and bruise your knees; you'll never suffer from a sunburn, or break a bone, or need stitches; you will never know harm again - I will even extend this umbrella of protection to your children. THIS is a good deal.
In exchange, all you have to do is allow me to read every email you send or receive, every text message, every chat; I'll listen to every phone call, monitor every person you meet with, listen to every conversation you have; I'll inspect the groceries that you buy, the toys, the cars, the furniture; I'll monitor the books you have, the magazines, the newspapers you read, the TV you watch, the movies; I'll observe and record everything you read, write, see and talk about - inside the home or outside. Everywhere you go, everything you do; I will be watching - for the rest of your life.
Since you aren't doing anything, aren't reading anything, aren't watching anything, and aren't talking about anything I may find threatening, you have no reason to hide anything. You don't even need to do anything; it'll be like I'm not even there. Don't worry about the fact that I can't deliver on my promises, we all know it's impossible, but you'll FEEL so much safer. It's a good bargain - you should take it.
This really isn't that complicated
This is about money, plain and simple.
America is broke. America has been broke, very broke, nearly broke and flat broke for a very long time now. Debt is spiraling out of control and deficits, of mind-numbing proportions, continue to be run - year after year. The American Government simply can't bring in enough revenue to pay its expenses with the current taxation-based revenue stream. The ongoing political roadblock (the solving of which makes peace in the middle east look easy) guarantees that the status quo will be maintained - so no solution to the problem is forthcoming and the government is now turning to alternative sources of revenue.
Which leads to this shakedown of various businesses through settlements or fines. Not unlike the concepts of Righthaven (or various other shakedown artists many of which are featured in posts on this site) the government is going after low hanging fruit that, it hopes, will roll over and pay rather than fight.
This is about money - the government needs it, the companies have it, it can't be obtained through taxation so - lawsuits and fines all around!
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by Roy.
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