In an article that shows how the RIAA’s poisonous anti-technology views are spreading, the Washington Post reports that Senator Orrin Hatch “favors developing new technology to remotely destroy the computers of people who illegally download music from the Internet.” Oh, but don’t worry: the “technology that would twice warn a computer user about illegal online behavior” and then “destroy their computer.” I realize that a lot of lawmakers are insulated from the Real World and are probably not technologically savvy, but this is ridiculous. I can just see RIAA lobbyists whispering Grima-like platitudes to Congressmen, slowly but inexorably convincing them that this is their only course. The article points out that “legal experts have said any such attack would violate federal anti-hacking laws,” but I’m sure that Congress won’t let anything as piddly as their own laws prevent them from doing their Corporate duty.
I suggest that anyone who is against this effort visit Senator Hatch’s web page and let him know how you feel.
