Lawsuit Invokes DMCA to Force DRM Adoption

TechnicolourSquirrel writes "Forbes.com informs us that the company Media Rights Technologies is suing Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, and Real Networks for not using its DRM technology and therefore 'failing to include measures to control access to copyrighted material.' The company alleges that their refusal to use MRT's X1 Recording Control technology constitutes a 'circumvention' of a copyright protection system, which is of course illegal under the Digital Millenium Copryight Act. I would say more, but without controlling access to this paragraph with MRT's products, I fear I have already risked too much ..."

How dare they..

[Spritzer]

... ignore something so customer friendly and inviting as DCE [slashdot.org]!!!

It gets worse...

[powerpants]

From Media Rights Techonologies' website:

X1 provides the root source of copy protection. However sophisticated the upstream DRM systems used to govern the use of content are, none are able to control what happens between the rendering device and the sound card - what might be called "the digital hole". The X1 technology provides the governance mechanism for the digital hole and thus underpins the entire rights management structure.

They also want control over your "digital hole". Where do I sign up?

DRM's never been used for worthless suits before..

[Anarchysoft]

MRT and Bluebeat said the failure to use an available copyright protection solution contravenes the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which prohibits the manufacture of any product or technology designed to circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a copyrighted work or protects the rights of copyright owners. They said a failure to comply with the cease and desist order could result in in a federal court injunction and/or the imposition of statutory damages of 200-2,500 usd per product distributed or sold.

I, for one, am shocked to see DRM laws being used by frivilous lawsuits. This certainly is a first!

Re:It gets worse...

[boilerbrown]

Ah how I love the sweet sound of copyright lawyer jackboots in the morning.

Futility.

[LoyalOpposition]

I would say more, but without controlling access to this paragraph with MRT's products, I fear I have already risked too much ..."

It won't work. Even if you don't say anything, you're "failing to include measures to control access" and thus "constitut[ing] a circumvention of a copy protection system." -Loyal

Re:It gets worse...

[gEvil (beta)]

They also want control over your "digital hole". Where do I sign up?

They can have as much control of my digi. hole as they want, just as long as they don't go after my anal. hole.

I'm filing suit against Media Rights Technologies

[neoform]

I think it's about the right time for me to file suit against Media Rights Technologies for not employing me at a salary of $10,000,000/year to refill their coke machines. Because of their unwillingness to hire me as a coke machine filler, their machines are dreadfully low, who knows how many people could become thirsty as a direct result..!!

Some companies really have no conscience.

This just in:

[PlayItBogart]

Dead people being sued for not living.

Re:Couldn't anyone say this?

[Rob T Firefly]

Note to self: take out copyrights on pig latin, ROT13, and substituting "no" for "yes" in responses to women who ask if their butts look big in those jeans...

A blow to academia

[qengho]

Next up: Dostoevsky scholars denied access to source materials because they couldn't not think of a white bear. [wikipedia.org]

Re:This just in:

[UCRowerG]

I hope those pesky dead people get sentenced to a bunch of community service.

Eh. They'd probably break parole and just not show up. Slackers.

Re:Hilarious PR

[Volante3192]

They're just taking a page from Diebold v. Massachusettes...

Business opportunity!

[johnw]

Does this mean SCO can sue IBM for not including their copyrighted code in Linux?

Re:This just in:

[c]

> I hope those pesky dead people get sentenced to a bunch of community service.

A life sentence of pushing up daisies, I presume?

c.

Re:My suggestion

[JonTurner]

Oh, thank God! Now I can repurpose a hundred thousand neurons I've dedicated to making sure I never click on that link. I feel smarter already!

I'm safe

[ameline]

I'm safe from these lawsuits.

Absolutely everything I produce (including this post) is encrypted with 26 rounds of a sophisticated encryption algorithm known as ROT13. Sometimes, when I'm feeling particularly concerned about the value of the IP I'm producing, I'll apply 32 or even 64 rounds of this algorithm!

I am afraid, however, that by decrypting this post, you are in violation of the DMCA. See you in court suckers!

Re:DRM

[djasbestos]

I'd help you out with the president, but my guns all have Digital Rifle Management.



Note to DoD, DHS, etc: the above statement is a joke. I do not intend to shoot the president and do not condone criminal behavior. Your Mooninite Scare lawsuits will not touch me.

Re:Hilarious PR

[norminator]

Media Rights Technologies (MRT) and BlueBeat.com have issued cease and desist letters to both companies [MS & Apple] and to Adobe Systems Inc (nasdaq: ADBE - news - people ) and Real Networks

Shouldn't they be sending out Commence and Continue letters?

By the way, I'm going to start suing random people for not buying products that I'm going to invent, because those products would be really good and would help them a lot. You've all been warned!

Re:It gets worse...

[Anonymous Coward]

They can have as much control of my digi. hole as they want, just as long as they don't go after my anal. hole.

Too late! [uncyclopedia.org]

What Would Monty Python Do?

[Detritus]

I can't help thinking of the judge reaching under his desk, and pulling a lever, dropping a 16 ton weight on the plaintiff and his lawyer.

Re:There is no lawsuit.

[Farmer Tim]

This company has cent cease and desist letters.

Wow, where can I get lawyers that cheap?

Re:It gets worse...

[nutrock69]

Speaking of Global Warming: I would guess that the increase in lawsuit activity over the past 50-odd years might look similar to the Global Warming temperature curve over the same time period...

Can we stop Global Warming simply by getting all the lawyers to shut up...? What they spew is pretty close to methane...

Re:This just in:

[SuluSulu]

I hope those pesky dead people get sentenced to a bunch of community service.

Eh. They'd probably break parole and just not show up. Slackers.

Nah, they just put them to work in congress.

Re:How dare they.. [OT]

[Hes Nikke]

i fixed your sig... and stole it :P

Re:DRM's never been used for worthless suits befor

[mnemotronic]

Reform #3: If a plaintiff has had 3 lawsuits deemed frivolous, they are barred from suing for one year. A fourth is 5 years. A fifth is 10 years.

Amendment to Reform # 3: If a plaintiff has had 3 lawsuits deemed frivolous, the plaintiff is to be divvied up.

Reform #4: A lawyer who's had 3 or more lawsuits dismissed for frivolity is suspended for one year. A fourth is grounds for disbarment. A fifth is automatic disbarment.

Amendment to Reform # 4: If the lawyer walks upright or breathes oxygen, the lawyer is to be divvied up.

Martha! Fetch up the chainsaw! We got us a legal problem needs fixin.

I want what there smokeing

[edizzles]

.. there sueing some if not the biggest names in the industry, Its like Some kid trying to fight super man, batman, wonderwoman(MS), and the hulk all at once. They are going to get stopmed into the ground if this goes to court.

Can I ....

[PPH]

.... sue everyone for not encrypring everything with ROT13?

Er, I mean:

.... fhr rirelbar sbe abg rapelcevat rirelguvat jvgu EBG13?

Re:I'm safe

[ameline]

You only applied 15 rounds -- everyone knows that isn't secure.

Re:Hilarious PR

[Grishnakh]

This is totally wrong, however. What should happen is:

Judge: The court finds in favor of the defendant on account of the plaintiffs being a bunch of twits, and bringing a totally baseless and frivolous lawsuit which has wasted our time here. Case against the defendant is dismissed, however, I'm awarding a $10 million punitive judgment against the plaintiffs, to be paid to the defendant, and plaintiffs must also pay court costs. This hearing is adjourned.

Judge: Bailiff, please escort the plaintiffs out. If you accidentally beat them with your nightstick, I'll understand.

Re:This just in:

[VisceralLogic]

I hope those pesky dead people get sentenced to a bunch of community service.

Eh. They'd probably break parole and just not show up. Slackers.

Nah, they just put them to work in congress.

Nah, they put them to work voting for congress.