Universal Music Still Doesn't Get it

Related link: http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/svfront/cd121701.htm

Universal Music ramps up their anti-piracy efforts, saying that all of its CDs will be copy-protected by mid-2002. The problem is the copy-protection technology will also render the disc unplayable on Macintosh computers, DVD players and game consoles, such as Sony's PlayStation 2. It might not even play in some CD players.

At the O'Reilly P2P conference, the question was asked to Rosen if she truly understood the physical impossibility of effective Digital Copyright Protection. She replied "I get it, it's going to be very hard." Impossible and hard are two different things (ask the board for SDMI).

Here's my favorite quote of the article, another by Hillary Rosen. "Copy protection is certainly not new to the entertainment industry. Most movies and video games sold today have some form of protection -- musicians are an exception to the case and do not enjoy the same protection. It is not surprising, therefore, that the recording industry is taking steps to get in tune with the rest of the entertainment field." Here's my interpretation...

"Copy protection is not new to the entertainment industry, but while trying to figure out how to make money off this internet thing, that Shawn Fanning kid showed the general public how easy it should be to access digital music, an area where we have been continually slow to market while we try to figure out how to make a profit from it. The movie and video game industry have the protections, and we want the same type of protection, even though we're late catching the bus. So we're asking consumers to pay the same amount of money for a CD as they did before, but we're also saying that you get to listen to that CD according to our rules even though you've just bought an MP3 player or planned on playing back music from your PS2. The warning sticker on the CD will give you a number to call and a website to visit when you find problems with your CD."

A related article brings up familiar points in the "it's useless to try and control digital media" argument, and brings up something that the music industry needs to realize. "Just as HBO doesn't try to stop you from taping its movies, so music sellers need to let go and trust their customers. Remove the incentives for people to steal, rather than imposing more technology that treats customers as would-be shoplifters."

Here's the scary thing. Copy-protection CD's may not work, but a requirement for copy-protection controls in nearly all consumer electronic devices and PCs just might. Read this article for more on the Security Systems Standards and Certification Act (SSSCA).

Has my soapbox reached a new level? Is Universal just shooting themselves in the foot, or do you think copy-protection will work?