Jello Biafra was on when he said the companies are taking over. This (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3545839.stm) law just passed in Europe is the beginning of the end.

It's a very scary law indeed. We'll have to wait and see what
happens. I'm not certain how this will work in the real world, but
we'll probably not have to wait long to find out here. It's all a
bit fuzzy. Thankfully it isn't targeted at "consumer" piracy. But
where is the line? (thankfully in this regard because otherwise
they could just bust down any door they'd like basically)

I keep wondering why the entertainment sector (movies &
music) is the only one that seems to be able to get strange laws
in place to protect its property.

The thing that was the scariest is that this is the companies that can raid your house not the police and also on simple suspicion of piracy. You can just see it coming down to random checks under the vail of suspicion. At least the cops have people watching them but in the corporate world everyone has their price. Man, it's the beginning of the end when companies have this kind of power.

I doubt it will go that easy. I haven't read the actual law, but I
wouldn't be surprised if a third party (like the police) still needs
to physically open the house and be present. I think the law
states that certain companies can now start such a procedure
without getting a warrant etc.

Floods start with just one drop. I'm really surprised that this happened in Europe before the US though.

Then you can imagine how surprised we Europeans are. This
is totally unexpected. We always "liked" the fact that here in
Europe we weren't too keen on DCMA practics, but now this
seems to go in the same direction or even beyond indeed. I'm
anxious to see what will happen.

I think this also means that those companies can digitally hack into your servers and your computer to see if you have copyrighted material.

Good. Freedom sucks. Give me a good old fashioned police state any day.

Dylan,

I AM assuming that you are smiling as you type this!

RB

Rick, I'm typing up my application for the MiniTruth as I write this.
Man, I can't wait to get one of those bad assed two way TVs so I can watch the workers and catch them having independend thoughts then send a death squad over... Yeah.. That and some soma, and you've got a party!

I'm pretty sure that music companies have theoretically been empowered for years to raid your house and seize your computer in this country. I've seen numorous articles about it anyway. I don't know that they've ever actually done it though, for obvious reasons. It would be a PR disaster. They get more, better press with all those tiny lawsuits.

Here come the Company Police.

New PD units with company logos and company colored light bars. If it's the musice PD then their sirens will be the latest songs... great.

I guess it's one way to cut down on the budget. Outsource the PD.

I don't know about ya'll but I like it the way it is. Get a search warrent and do it the right way.

<<<-- Originally posted by Marco Leavitt : I'm pretty sure that music companies have theoretically been empowered for years to raid your house and seize your computer in this country. I've seen numorous articles about it anyway. I don't know that they've ever actually done it though, for obvious reasons. It would be a PR disaster. They get more, better press with all those tiny lawsuits. -->>>

Marco, there was an article last month on how the RIAA has hired ex-cops and other former law enforcement personnel and raid sidewalk vendors who often sell pirated tapes and music. These guys are all dressed like cops with bulletproof vests and swoop in on these guys. Often the vendors' English isn't so good so they are overwhelmed when the pseudo-cops come in and pick up everything, even legit merchandise. The vendors are made to sign a release which gives all of their stuff to the RIAA.

That's a sad sad story Keith! Reminds me of a Star Trek TNG
episode: "who watches the watchers"

Where was this article? Impersonating an officer is illegal in the US.

Only a police officer can invade homes but only with a warrant from a judge except, of course, when an illegal activity is observed or if they've been invited or allowed in. And then, I think, it must be related to the safety of the citizens not a civil case.

Notice BBC article applied to the EU. In the US it says lawsuits have been filed but not home invasion which is constitutionally illegal.

This was the article, Bob:
http://www.laweekly.com/ink/04/07/news-sullivan.php

"The RIAA acknowledges it all — except the notion that its staff presents itself as police. Yes, they may all be ex-P.D. Yes, they wear cop-style clothes and carry official-looking IDs. But if they leave people like Borrayo with the impression that they’re actual law enforcement, that’s a mistake."

C'mon BMG
were waiting for yopu here in Texas!
They will get my DVD when they pull it out of my cold dead hands!

Like the article says, they may have crossed that line impersonating an officer.