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Submitted via IRC for boru
Dear Jeff, Tim, and colleagues, In 2013, EFF was disappointed to learn that the W3C had taken on the project of standardizing "Encrypted Media Extensions," an API whose sole function was to provide a first-class role for DRM within the Web browser ecosystem. By doing so, the organization offered the use of its patent pool, its staff support, and its moral authority to the idea that browsers can and should be designed to cede control over key aspects from users to remote parties.
[...] The W3C is a body that ostensibly operates on consensus. Nevertheless, as the coalition in support of a DRM compromise grew and grew — and the large corporate members continued to reject any meaningful compromise — the W3C leadership persisted in treating EME as topic that could be decided by one side of the debate. In essence, a core of EME proponents was able to impose its will on the Consortium, over the wishes of a sizeable group of objectors — and every person who uses the web. The Director decided to personally override every single objection raised by the members, articulating several benefits that EME offered over the DRM that HTML5 had made impossible.
[...] We believe they will regret that choice. Today, the W3C bequeaths an legally unauditable attack-surface to browsers used by billions of people. They give media companies the power to sue or intimidate away those who might re-purpose video for people with disabilities. They side against the archivists who are scrambling to preserve the public record of our era. The W3C process has been abused by companies that made their fortunes by upsetting the established order, and now, thanks to EME, they'll be able to ensure no one ever subjects them to the same innovative pressures.
[...] Effective today, EFF is resigning from the W3C.
Thank you,
Cory Doctorow
Advisory Committee Representative to the W3C for the Electronic Frontier Foundation
Source: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/09/open-letter-w3c-director-ceo-team-and-membership
(Score: 4, Insightful) by anubi on Tuesday September 19 2017, @04:30AM
The RIAA lobbied Congress to pass the DMCA. They did. Unanimously. Every one of em' voted for it.
We also need to lobby Congress to pass the Digital Millenium Responsibility Act, to go along with DMCA, to stop abuse and irresponsibility of the rights given in the DMCA to operate in secret.
Just as the DMCA holds people responsible for copyright infringement, even to the case of $180,000 per instance, those terms should also apply to malware distributed under the cloak of DRM. As a concession to mandating ignorance on the public for how their stuff works, the vendors of stuff assume full responsibility for screwups sent under the Congress-granted right to cloak. No different than some manufacturer who did not watch his food prep stuff and sent out loads of salmonella laced chicken.
Get malwared? Send the rightsholder on record the bill. If he makes fuss over it, get that blond haired bombshell working for Relion Group to yap endlessly on TV about class action suits.
Failure to pass the DMRA should also negate the DMCA.
We gotta do business the way business does business.
However, this will require us to vote in a Congress which represents the People.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]