[Bradford] Fwd: Don't let the MPAA buy the Web

[d.carpenter]

Forwarding this - I hope you don't mind, but I think people may be
interested.


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: DefectiveByDesign.org <info at defectivebydesign.org>
Date: 17 January 2014 23:47
Subject: Don't let the MPAA buy the Web
To: David Carpenter <d.carpenter at virgin.net>


[image: Stop DRM in HTML 5]<https://www.defectivebydesign.org/no-drm-in-html5>

Dear David,

Last week, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) became a paying
and governing member of World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) (no,
seriously<http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20140107/11263425789/not-cool-mpaa-joins-w3c.shtml>).
If there were any doubts that W3C was in bed with Big Hollywood, now it
couldn't be more obvious. Together, W3C, the MPAA, and a handful of the
world's most powerful web companies are preparing to build Digital
Restrictions Management (DRM) deep into our public Web standards. We must
stop them.

*Can you donate $25 to help us stop DRM from locking down the Web in 2014?
<https://u.fsf.org/qf>*

The Web has come this far by sticking to its principles of freedom. The
result was the world's most powerful distribution system, which of course
the media companies now want to be a part of. They can, and should be a
part of it, but on the same terms as everyone else, not on terms which give
them special abilities. They can be a part of the Web, but not at the cost
of breaking it.

While DRM is advertised as a mechanism to prevent copyright infringement,
it is actually designed to restrict all of the incredible possibilities
enabled by digital technologies and place them under the control of a few,
who can then micromanage and track every interaction with digital media.
DRM requires that every user's computer have a back door through which
media or Web companies can peer into in order to enforce the restrictions.
In other words, DRM is designed to take away every possible use of digital
media, regardless of legal rights, and sell some of these functionalities
back as severely limited services <https://www.defectivebydesign.org/faq>.

Defective by Design has been leading the charge against DRM since 2006.
We've worked to educate publishers, record labels, and journalists about
DRM as a threat to innovation in media, the privacy of readers, and freedom
for computer users. We've put together resources like our DRM-free living
guide <https://www.defectivebydesign.org/guide> to help people avoid DRM.
And we've taken our message to the streets (and the online retailers) with
our International Day Against
DRM<https://www.defectivebydesign.org/dayagainstdrm>--donning
everything from hazmat suits to elf costumes to disrupt business as usual
for DRM purveyors. When we got wind that W3C was considering weaving
allowances for DRM into the HTML standard, we mobilized the public and
delivered a petition with over 22,500 signatures to W3C's doorstep, along
with an award to recognize their role in locking down the
Web<https://www.defectivebydesign.org/oscar-awarded-w3c-in-the-hollyweb>
.

Defective by Design is ready to take on the W3C, the MPAA, and anyone else
peddling the misguided idea that DRM does anybody but industry giants any
good. These are some powerful opponents who are flush with cash they've
made from the unethical practice of digitally restricting our media. But
public opinion is on our side. What we need now is the funding to amplify
our message to a wider audience than ever before. W3C chose the MPAA,
Defective by Design chooses you.

*Please consider making a $25 donation to Defective by Design today.
<https://u.fsf.org/qf>* Every dollar you give will help us make DRM in
HTML5 a PR nightmare for anyone pushing it.

Sincerely,

The DRM Elimination Crew

*You can read this post online at
https://www.defectivebydesign.org/dont-let-the-mpaa-buy-the-web
<https://www.defectivebydesign.org/dont-let-the-mpaa-buy-the-web>.*

-- 
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