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For six years, the Internet Nexus served as my technology blog, but I've since started blogging at the SuperSite Blog instead. If you're looking for the blog, please head there. --Paul

Friday, May 11, 2007

Frivolous lawsuits 101

Let me get this straight. There's a company that makes a technology that can prevent digital content theft. But no one is licensing that technology. So they're suing media player makers under the DMCA? Seriously? CNET News.com reports:

A California company that makes technology designed to prevent ripping of digital audio streams has accused Apple, Microsoft, RealNetworks and Adobe Systems of violating federal copyright law by "actively avoiding" use of its products.

Media Rights Technologies and its digital radio subsidiary BlueBeat.com said in a press release Thursday that it had issued cease and desist letters to the high-tech titans. It argues that the companies have manufactured billions of copies of Windows Vista, Adobe Flash Player, Real Player and Apple's iTunes and iPod "without regard for the DMCA or the rights of American intellectual property owners."

MRT, based in Santa Cruz, Calif., argues that its X1 SeCure Recording Control technology has been "proven effective" as such a protective measure by plugging the "digital hole" that allows even copy-protected music streams, when played back, to be captured and potentially copied. The company says that because the companies are avoiding use of its purportedly effective product, they are violating the DMCA.

OK, seriously.

The legal system in this country is absolutely out of control. This is ridiculous. Is there some way I can sue these clowns because of the time I lost just writing this blog post? Spare me.

Labels: Digital media

[ Posted at 2:48 PM | Permalink ]