An interesting read and interesting implications:
US parents win right to censor films
Saving the children, miffing the movie industry
By Nick Farrell: Wednesday 20 April 2005, 08:31
THE US SENATE has approved a law that will allow technology that helps parents censor films.
The Family Entertainment and Copyright Act, which was opposed by the film industry, protects manufacturers of DVD players and other such devices which may use the technology, from accusations they would be violating copyrights of the Hollywood producers of movies.
The bill had to have one of its provisions rewritten to allow filtering technology that lets parents automatically censor rude words, violence or sex.
The move followed representations from an outfit called Clearplay, which makes filters for hundreds of films.
Hollywood wants ClearPlay's technology banned because they say it amounts to unauthorised editing of their films. If it is not banned, ClearPlay should pay them wodges of cash in licensing fees for altering their creative efforts.
The Directors Guild of America sued ClearPlay in federal court in Colorado alleging copyright violations. The new law will probably kill that lawsuit.
