Amazingly, this week’s High Five largely ignores the iPad announcement. This is a reflection of how important I believe it to be, since I’ll be blogging about that in the upcoming week. Instead, this week’s links are focused on digital rights and net neutrality.
#5: Settlement Rejected in ‘Shocking’ RIAA File Sharing Verdict
I’ve been following this case for quite some time, and the defense team seems to feel like they have the courts on their side. Having the judgement reduced from $1.92 million to $54,000 is still not enough for them, as evidenced by their decision to reject a settlement offer of $25,000 from the RIAA. That the settlement was even offered seems to indicate that the RIAA is also concerned that the courts are on the side of the defendant.
Link: Wired
#4: iPad is iBad for freedom
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) has organized an online petition named “Defective by Design,” asserting that Apple’s implementation of Digital Restriction Management (DRM) goes too far and will restrict the distribution of free software by disallowing applications to run on the iPad unless they are downloaded from the Application Store.
Link: Free Software Foundation
#3: Mozilla leader worries about Internet limits
Mitchell Baker, leader of the Mozilla Project, expressed concern over “the increase in laws that make it difficult to run an open network,” and especially over rules concerned with policing content. She spoke at the opening of athree-day conference on digital innovation and creative ideas in Munich, Germany.
Link: Yahoo! Finance
#2: Netflix to FCC: scary loophole in net neutrality rules
While they generally support the proposed nondiscriminatory rules put forth by the FCC, Netflix‘s general counsel is expressing concern over a potential loophole. “In short, if left unchecked, the ‘managed services’ category could engulf the Commission’s open Internet policies altogether” and let ISPs end run any regulations. This is no small matter given blurring between content providers and Internet service providers as exemplified with the sale of NBC Universal to Comcast.
Link: ReadWriteWeb
#1: Australia bans graphic games … sort of
The final story in this theme is a cautionary tale of unintended consequences. Australia has passed a series of laws attempting to restrict adult content from children. This story shows that the laws have, in fact, increased the amount of adult content reaching children age 15 and under in games like Call of Duty 2: Modern Warfare.
Link: Global Post
Feel free to provide your thoughts and/or contributions…
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