Hope You Like Commercials

I hope you're one of those people who love to watch every single commercial placed at the beginning of a DVD, because Congress is looking at a law that would make it illegal to fast forward through them.

This isn't being reported widely, so if you're having trouble finding sources, join the crowd. The local news has reported it and the folks over at Engadget are reporting it. The UCLA Journal of Law and Technology has an article mentioning a similar lawsuit involving ReplayTV from back in 2003.

***Edit*** Another link involving ReplayTV - over at USA Today. The bad thing is that this is over 2 years old. The new problem stems from the Intellectual Property Protection Act that congress is considering. In that act, there is a provision that would make it illegal in the US to skip commercials, no matter how offensive, inane, annoying, or just plain stupid they are. Imagine having to sit through every commercial for "The Simple Life 3" - I think I might end up suicidal.

Basically, the issue is that, if you skip the commercials, the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) alledges that you're violating the copyright. Paramount, Disney, NBC, ShowTime, ABC, Viacom, and CBS are the ones pushing to remove the fast-forward abilities from TiVo. They say that automatically skipping the commercials is not a fair use of the product.

So, let's rephrase their position in common sense. If you don't watch the commercials, you can't watch the movie, because they're on the same disc and therefore are the same material. They want to pass a law REQUIRING you to watch commercials. Does this ring a bell of corporate insanity?

I don't like commercials. In fact, I hate them. The only time I watch commercials is usually during the superbowl. For some reason, the commercials released then usually attempt to be funny, and most are.

I guess it's time to hoist the Jolly Rodger above my house, because if they pass a law saying I am required to watch commercials, I guess I'll just become a pirate. I will not be forced to watch something I choose not to see in order to watch something I choose to see.

And the MPAA can just kiss my ass.