Comment Number:	539814-00665
Received:	1/27/2009 10:35:03 AM
Organization:
Commenter:	Robert Correa
State:	CA
Agency:	Federal Trade Commission
Rule:	FTC Town Hall to Address Digital Rights Management Technologies - Event Takes Place Wednesday, March 25, 2009, in Seattle
Attachments:

---

Comments:

Thank you for this opportunity that I may convey my disapproval of DRM as related to media I purchase and consume as an individual. DRM has limited my fair use right to music, movies and e-books. Imagine in 1968 if my Beatles Abby Road album only played on my "current" turntable? I "backed up" that album, fair use, by recording to a cassette tape to play in my car. Seems fair. Today, I buy movies on DVD. I can't make a backup to preserve my investment, I can't install the movie on my Ipod, which would be fair use, to watch the DVD on a plan flight or whatever. The recording, movie and publishing industry is violating my rights to fair use by starting on the premise and assumption that I am a thief. Secure packaging and display in a store, okay - makes sense. But when I pay my money and leave with a receipt, I am not a thief. If I copy the media and sell it via black market over the Internet, then yes, I'm stealing intellectual property and the industry should come after me. Yes, that is probably very hard to do, but that's not my problem. It is up to the industry to understand the vulnerabilities of their respective businesses. They are taking the easy way out of a tough problem by assuming we're all crooks from the get-go. Oh, and guess what, you can buy or frankly, steal, any media you want anyway. That's proof that DRM doesn't work. It only eliminates my ability to use the media I've purchased rights to in accordance with the U.S. Constitution and laws governing our land. Regards, Bob Correa CA