Digital Transition Content Security Act

The United States The Digital Transition Content Security Act (DTCSA, H.R. 4569) is a bill introduced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner Jr., a Wisconsin Republican, on December 16, 2005. The bill was backed by Democratic Rep. John Conyers.

Its goal is to To require certain analog conversion devices to preserve digital content security measures., i.e. plugging the analog hole. The bill effectively proposes mandating of the Veil Rights Assertion Mark technology into new video-handling consumer devices.

That sounds like a lot of legal and technical jargon, but the summary of this one folks is that in the next few years the reality of this law put into place could mean that you would no longer be able to rip music or movies to your computer. You would also not be able to technically copy music or movies from one medium to another in any form. Currently you can do this legally as it is your protected right. However, this proposed law could remove this right and make it mandatory that computer manufacturers and software developers build unalterable and unhackable restrictions into their products so that you would not be allowed to do what you can do today.

I'm not encouraging copyright infringement, but I do suggest that people stand up for their rights. The hackers and criminals will find ways around these restrictions. The rest of us (you) will be looking at your mp3 player and computer or DVD player and wondering why it doesn't work like it used to. If this law passes, it will simply suck.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.