Looks like the hearing in February pretty well telegraphed the sentiments of the three-judge panel, as they unanimously told the FCC Friday to stop trying to play copyright police:
In the seven decades of its existence, the FCC has never before asserted such sweeping authority. Indeed, in the past, the FCC has informed Congress that it lacked any such authority. In our view, nothing has changed to give the FCC the authority that it now claims. Continue reading “D.C. Circuit Stymies Broadcast Flag”
Tag: broadcast flag
D.C. Circuit Seems Wary of Broadcast Flag
On Tuesday a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals heard a case advanced by the American Library Association and eight partners challenging the validity of an FCC decision to require digital television sets and video recorders to comply with broadcast flag technology. A broadcast flag is essentially a copy protection mechanism embedded in the data stream of DTV content. “Activation” of the flag will make it impossible to record or play back DTV programs unless done so on “approved” devices. Under the FCC decree as it stands presently electronics-makers will have to roll out broadcast flag-compliant devices in July. Continue reading “D.C. Circuit Seems Wary of Broadcast Flag”