Google & Microsoft fighting the RIAA

Sometimes one (or in this case...two) corporation's business plan is at odds with another corporation (in this case...a trade group). Microsoft and Google are joining together to file a complaint through the CCIA (Computer and Communications Industry Association - http://www.ccianet.org) to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) accusing the RIAA of "overstating their rights in various consumer warnings". Also mentioned in the complaint are MLB, NFL, and the MPAA as abusers of their copyright control.

Basically, the CCIA feels that copyright holders are "bullying" customers in an attempt to misrepresent copyright law and discount legal and fair use practices. Ed Black, CEO of CCIA said:

"Every one of us has seen or heard that copyright warning at the beginning of a sports game, DVD or book. These corporations use these warnings not to educate their consumers, but to intimidate them."

"Such tactics represent an assault on free expression and force consumers to continually forgo lawful activities to which they are entitled under federal law and the Constitution."

Basically, there are many legitimate ways that copyrighted information can be used and companies are overstepping their legal bounds in warning and intimidating consumers from using their copyright. For example, before a MLB game, this announcements occurs:

"This copyrighted telecast is presented by authority of the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball. It may not be reproduced or retransmitted in any form, and the accounts and descriptions of this game may not be disseminated without express written consent."

It turns out that the 1st amendment and fair use give you rights to do exactly what they are scaring consumers away from.

The CCIA has set up a website to further explore this complaint and issue at: http://www.defendfairuse.org.

If you would like to contribute, you can sign their petition here: http://www.defendfairuse.org/take_action.html

The CCIA's press release is here: http://www.ccianet.org/artmanager/publish/news/FTC_copyright_complaint.shtml