A little too much government in our lives.....

This is getting to be a little ridiculous. Not everyone with a CD burner is pirating CD's illegally!

What do you guys think....?



http://www.bbspot.com/news/2001/10/riaa.html



Monday October 29 10:52 PM EST

RIAA Wants Background Checks on CD-RW Buyers

Washington DC - The RIAA is lobbying for vendors of CD-RW drives to conduct background checks and require a 3 day waiting period before the drive can be sold.

The extensive background check would include cross referencing credit card numbers with local merchants sales logs looking for purchases of dual-cassette decks between the years of 1980 and 1987. It would also include checking for installation of file sharing software, knowledge of the Internet, and the ability to hum. Any of which would bar the purchaser from receiving his drive.

"A CD-RW can be a dangerous weapon when it falls into the wrong hands," said RIAA President Hilary Rosen, "You wouldn't sell a gun to a convicted felon and you shouldn't sell a CD-RW drive to a Gnutella user. The 3 day waiting period gives us time to verify that no copyrighted material is on the purchasers hard drive and to make sure they have a membership in the Columbia House CD club."

Current owners of CD-RW drives would be required to obtain a license for use of the drive or face stiff fines. Licenses could be obtained by enrollment at a local RIAA Education Camp where the horrors of copyright violation would be instilled with the use of electro-shock therapy.

"I was alarmed when I heard that children had the ability to burn CDs right on their computers," said Senator Strom Thurmond, "We've tried to educate parents on the dangers of children playing with fire, and now these death merchants sell them that ability in a shiny metal box." Other Senators voiced their concerns about the possible violations of privacy in the proposed legislation, but since it was called the Copyright Patriotism Act they are unable to oppose it.

"The RIAA has gone too far this time. There are uses for CD-RW drives that don't violate RIAA copyrights like burning multiple copies of Microsoft Office for friends and neighbors," said Matthew Sodor an opponent of the legislation.

That was funny.

Becky

people can, have and will continue to lose their jobs as a result of piracy and wether you like it or not, the RIAA are just protecting their assets and claiming what is rightfully theres.

maybe background checks on cd writer purchases is a bit extreme but ill put money on more than half of the people complaining about all this not even know what the RIAA are or what they do.

That is one comparison with selling guns!!!

This cracks me up, though: "I was alarmed when I heard that children had the ability to burn CDs right on their computers," said Senator Strom Thurmond

That is truly alarming

I don't distribute copyrighted material, though I burn almost every single CD I buy onto a copy and will continue to do so until these old fart lawmakers make our streets safe enough to carry original CDs in my car.

Umm he take the piss when he say that?. He has just said dont make the law we dont all use it for music.....some of us use it to illegaly copy windows software. If thats the opposition quality this law should be in place by 12 tomorrow lol.

Gotta have a sense of humor folks

Kathleen

That's the same way I feel. I do the same thing with my CD's. One of my friends asked me if I ever buy a CD one time. I just burn everything that goes in my car.

And I thought it was hilarious that Strom Thurmand was alarmed to learn kids can burn CD's! Ahh, the horrors. How about the kids carrying guns to school...maybe we should worry about them a little??

This is a joke, right?

Adrian

A CD-RW drive is a dangerous weapon?

Stephanie

Ridiculous