The Federal Trade Commission's much-anticipated Town Hall Meeting on digital rights management (DRM) will take place today at the University of Washington Law School in Seattle.
The all-day event begins at 8:30 A.M. Pacific and will be webcast live.
Among other participants, Entertainment Consumers Association President Hal Halpin will serve on the 1:15 P.M. panel "Informing Consumers." According to the FTC's agenda, "This panel will discuss how companies communicate the existence and effects of DRM protections on products and services to consumers. It will explore ways of providing consumers with better notice."
In advance of his panel appearance, Halpin issued a statement on the Town Hall Meeting:
Over the past year we have witnessed a growing concern from gamers about the issues of increasingly invasive Digital Rights Management (DRM) and End User Licensing Agreements (EULAs). While we respect the careful balance that must exist between the content community and the customer, and agree that piracy is an ever-present challenge for the trade, it is also becoming evident that consumer rights are being diminished in the process...
The law, in the area of EULAs in particular, is not as clear as it once was. And the software industry’s potential side-stepping of the First Sale Doctrine’s protections – by terming their products as “licensed” rather than “sold” - leaves us concerned about the future of interactive entertainment, generally...
Halpin also noted that the ECA is preparing new position statements on both DRM and EULAs. You can read the full text of his statement here.
Among others known to be appearing at the Town Hall on behalf of consumers is Staff Attorney Corynne McSherry of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
FULL DISCLOSURE DEPT: The ECA is the parent company of GamePolitics.
Comments
Re: Hal Halpin, ECA on Hand For Today's FTC Town Hall ...
It's probably brutally apparent in my signature, but I'm for the abolishment of DRM as we see it now. When I pay money for something and pay money for the storage it's stored in, the power it's executed on, and the hardware it's run on, I will do whatever the hell I want with it.
DRM checks should be limited to only in the game executable ran during the game's execution time and present nowhere else in the system. It should be a software only thing.
P.S., -$100 from the picture below. Have to say that prime rib is awesome, and much more rewarding than trying to get a game with safedisc to run when it decides your legitimate copy is pirated.
I hope the ECA takes a strong stand for consumer rights. I'd love to see a 1 copy, 1 household scheme, and a hard limit set on EULA restrictions. As well as restrictions placed on usage of DRM requiring that software be usable without an internet connection, specialized hardware, or phone calls.
I will not buy securom games. http://www.wolvenmoon.com/sharedfiles/message1.jpg and http://www.wolvenmoon.com/sharedfiles/message2.jpg
Re: Hal Halpin, ECA on Hand For Today's FTC Town Hall Meeting
Can we get a link to the vid whenever it's put up or w/e?
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"A Chrono Trigger is anything that unleashes its will or desire to change history!" -Gaspar
Re: Hal Halpin, ECA on Hand For Today's FTC Town Hall Meeting
DRM dose not work its a waste of time and effort, you want to use DRM then make it reasonable online stuff is protected with online based DRM the rest basic disc protection and activation must be offline compatible.
Publishers can easily make a online account system were content is integrated and streamlined so you can connect with others who have the same games(would work greatly for MP games) and make alittle profit off selling points to buy from the integrated services or gain points from the games you buy either from playing the game (get points to buy pics,desktop themes music,ect) or special content that only new game purchases will get you.
Think of it a mix of Steam, Gametap and aim/imvu only offline mode is automatic and hassle free.
Gore,Violence,Sexauilty,Fear,Emotion these are but modes of transportation of story and thought, to take them from society you create a society of children and nannys, since adults are not required.
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com
Copyright infringement is nothing more than civil disobedience to a bad set of laws. Let's renegotiate them.
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http://zippydsm.deviantart.com/
Re: Hal Halpin, ECA on Hand For Today's FTC Town Hall Meeting
Why do I see certain people trying to flood this with ringers, comcast style?
Re: Hal Halpin, ECA on Hand For Today's FTC Town Hall Meeting
I wish the ECA the best of luck with the Town Hall Meeting.
http://www.magicinkgaming.com/