The RIAA recently threw lobs at the current DMCA system in effect in the US. According to an editorial on Forbes, they find the DMCA ineffective, basically one big game of whack-a-mole. “it is largely useless in the current world where illegal links that are taken down reappear instantaneously. The result is a never-ending game that is both costly and increasingly pointless.”
They are really tired of playing this game and want to find a way to head piracy off at the pass rather than pursuing it after the fact. To this end, they are lobbying Congress for something they find much more palatable.
While a lot of its desires are nothing we haven’t seen before, they want a return of SOPA and PIPA and expanded Content ID-like systems, one is rather unsettling. RIAA wants a new law that will require all citizens to have regulating chips installed at birth, and upon seeking license renewals for adults.
What will these chips do? According to documents received, the chips are being designed to read the impulses of those hosting them and alert the authorities when the person considers piracy. Once the chips activate, the authorities will then be able to instantly deactivate any internet connections near the person so that they can’t commit piracy.
While this is not shocking to hear from the RIAA, what is shocking is that there are members of Congress who are actually signing their names to the potential legislation. So far 5 Senators, including copyright maximalists Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator Orrin Hatch, and 13 US Congressmen including Reps Bob Goodlatte and Howard Berman. While they support the bill, they have already begun including language to exempt members of Congress and their families from the requirement calling it a “danger to national security.”
