from macnn
Apple along with other technology giants such as Microsoft, Adobe, and RealNetworks were sent a cease & desist on Friday demanding they integrate Media Rights Technologies’ (MRT) proprietary technology to prevent music streams from being “ripped.” While most intellectual property lawsuits focus on infringement, the novel approach taken by MRT may be a first in the industry, according to AppScout. MRT claims that Digital Millennium Copyright Act signed into law by President Clinton, and invoked in the Grokster decision, forces companies to comply with the act and provide copy-control technologies. MRT, which took its technology to Microsoft but was blown off, says it has given each company 10 days to respond and will file lawsuits against those companies totaling more than $200 billion dollars.
Devices makers such as Apple, Real, and Microsoft are deliberately designing their players with loopholes to allow copyright infringement, according to MRT representatives quoted by the publication.
MRT says it is acting on behalf on BlueBeat.com, which has a legal obligation to protect its content. According to the report, BlueBeat was recently hit with a $150 million cease-and-desist letter by the RIAA, when the copyright protection on its content was “accidently” circumvented in an upgrade to Windows Media Player.
MRT says that the suits could also extend to companies like YouTube and CNN, which also use the infringing technology.
Technorati Tags: assholes, assholism, free speech, music, puppy, riaa, tore up from the floor up
It’s not necessarily a reason for people to steal music but it even further proves the point that DRM is stupid and retarded. There are companies, even iTunes that are going DRM free with some of their content. If more people start doing this then lawsuits like this would be pointless. These companies need to stop treating consumers as though they are criminals. The problem with the RIAA and MRT is the fact that they make a lot of money by treating consumers as though they are criminals. They are simply making things harder for honest people to get their music. Anything can be cracked, it just takes time.
Who are these idiots? Im used to shitty copyright and DRM stuff, but this stuff doesnt even look credible, are these a proper large entity or some sham of a company trying to force people to use their technology?
Even if a judge ruled that technology should be used to protect stuff, I cant imagine that a ruling would order companies to use the technology of a specific company?
I somehow doubt Apple etc are shaking in their boots over this,might even give their lawyers a much needed laugh?
Do MRT really think they are going to build a proper business from trying to force potential partners to use them? Nah, it just pangs of desperation, they wont last.
The DMCA needs to be repealed.