...more recent posts
I wasn't expecting the future for a few more years, but Senator Fritz Hollings (Democrat, S.C.) is introducing a bill that makes Richard Stallman's dystopian fantasies seem right on the money. And in case you don't know, that is not a good thing. The bill is called the SSSCA (security systems standards and certification act,) and you can read the staff working draft here. For those less legally inclined, here's the first paragraph (they don't even try to bury the outrageous stuff!):
(a) IN GENERAL.--It is unlawful to manufacture, import, offer to the public, provide or otherwise traffic in any interactive digital device that does not include and utilize certified security technologies that adhere to the security systems standards adopted under section 104.I'm utterly speachless. I've been trying to write something about this for a few days, but I am not able to do it without flying into a fit of rage. The effects of this bill would be so far reaching, and so completely devastating to "humanity" (at least in terms of how I think about "humanity") that it is difficult to sum up. Wes Felter offers this: "Anyway, general purpose devices would be essentially outlawed under SSSCA. Your PC's tamper-resistant TCPA BIOS would only load certified, DRM-laden operating systems." (Here's the entire HTP thread.) But outlawing linux (and most other open source software) is just the tip of the iceburg.
I know that crazy bills get brought before congress all the time, and just because it is a bill does not mean that it will ever become law. Still, I'm finding it hard to rely on the good judgement of others to keep this one from happening. Just who is in control here? I'm beginning to suspect that it is not human, whatever it is.
Here's the wired coverage.
Do you work for a large corporation? Are you sure that's what you should be doing?