Prohibition Was A Wash

Many people, myself included, are increasingly concerned at the attempts that are being made to restrict our access to the information available on the Internet.   The Digital Imprimatur, written by John Walker in 2003, is some meaty reading, but most of his predictions of how the Internet can be controlled and manipulated are being attempted today.

DRM and Trusted Computing are initiatives led by major corporations to enact laws that allow them to be monopolistic suppliers of hardware, software and security systems.   With the passing of the DMCA in 1998, it became illegal to produce or disseminate technology intended to circumvent copyright controls.   It goes far beyond the original scope of copyright law, many believe infringing on our civil liberties.

However, the Iron Law of Prohibition may just usher in an unprecedented explosion of new ideas and implementation.   The very people who developed the technologies are free thinkers, unencumbered by fear of authority.   In February, 2007 Steve Jobs of Apple, Inc. published an open letter stating his personal view that DRM should be abandoned by the “big four” recording companies; Sony, EMI, Universal and Warner.   Macrovision’s answer quickly followed.   By the time major corporate entities have found a way to put a lock on technology, that technology is old.   And the whiz-kids have no patience with prohibition, they’ll leap-frog over it in a heartbeat.

Prohibition was and always will be a wash.

Lisa Miller