What of Fair Use?
Some electronics manufacturers and consumer groups say a mandate would put new limitations on consumers’ fair use of copyrighted content, and prevent them from manipulating and modifying equipment they own. The broadcast flag could stop use of digital TV content even in ways that don’t strictly violate copyright, critics say. For example, a son might want to send family members an e-mail message containing a video clip of his mother being interviewed on a local newscast. But a broadcast flag-compliant PC could not transmit this e-mail if it contains flagged content. The receiving device would identify the flag, then encrypt the content to make Internet transmission impossible. “The [industry’s] goal is to control all digital content and that’s where the harm is to the consumer,” says Tom Patton, vice president of government relations at Philips Electronics, which opposes the mandate. However, Patton says Philips supports some type of technology to prevent unauthorized distribution of c
