RIAA President Cary Sherman Talks Piracy, Crippling RIAA-backed Spyware

Here's an absolutely chilling video wherein you can see the current president of the Recording Industry Association of America president do the following:

1) Endorse filtering systems designed to disallow certain downloads, presumably enforced through continued threats to Internet Service Providers, equivalent to holding phone companies responsible for conversations which occurred on their lines. Sherman claims that these filtering systems would be infallible, which is quite optimistic - current DRM software has proven remarkably little ability video to recognize the difference between pirated and free software. You'll have given the RIAA the power to remove compatibility with things that you have purchased. Would you buy a sweater with a self-destruct?

2) Support spyware on your computer, designed to police and restrict your media. He suggests that these filters be placed in software or in the modem itself. Will you rely on the free cooperation of technology companies, or will waterboarding be involved?

3) Dismisses fair use in support of the RIAA stronghold over the American media.

4) Further supports college internet filtering and consumer threatening from ISPs.



He's clear, intelligent and sounds reasonable at the surface, which makes the fearful policies that he's suggesting all the more dangerous.