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Bob Barr Takes a Stand on DVD-Copying

by Dan Reilly on March 11, 2009 at 01:25 PM

Back in September, we said it was only a matter of time before the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) went after RealDVD, the software that lets you copy entire DVDs onto your computer for personal use. Studios are currently involved in a heated lawsuit with RealNetworks in Federal court that aims to ban the sale of the product.

The MPAA claims that the software violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act by encouraging DVD piracy. Conversely, RealNetworks says that the software merely allows DVD owners to save their discs to their own personal hard drives, a practice fully in line with DMCA stipulations. Currently, the court has issued an injunction against the sale of RealDVD. Meanwhile, the MPAA is accusing the company of destroying evidence that would show the software is "based in part on the work of ... hackers."

The case has attracted the attention of 2008 Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr, who, in a San Francisco Chronicle editorial, called the suit "knee-jerk, anti-technology litigation" that should concern those who hope for "fair play and innovation to remain valued commodities in 21st-century America." He believes the product would actually benefit the MPAA by encouraging the legal use of DVDs, saying that RealNetworks has "the law, the facts and common sense on its side." We have to agree, although it would seem like an easy way to copy your Netflix rentals. Either way, we'll certainly keep an eye on the case. [From: SFGate and Wired]

Wired Politicians

    Al Gore
    Last year, hackers gained access to former Vice President Al Gore's blog, where they posted links to Web sites selling prescription drugs including Xanax, Oxycontin and Lortab. It is uncertain whether or not Rush Limbaugh visited any of the sites.

    Getty Images

    Putin with Dog
    This past October, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin saw a longtime dream realized when he equipped his black lab Koni with a GPS collar. Apparently, even dogs can be counter-intelligence risks.

    Putin in Judo Get-Up
    Always eager to display his virility, and his tech-savviness, Vladimir Putin released, and starred in, an instructional Judo DVD last year. And we thought George Bush was weird.

    Ron Paul
    As his campaign gathered steam at the end of 2007, Ron Paul watched -- probably confusedly -- as a group of his supporters banded together and marched in support of their candidate through the mystical realm of the World of Warcraft.

    Getty Images

    Karl Rove
    Former Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove has recently entered the world of Twitter, regularly updating his page with self-promotions, answers to supporters' questions and topics for debate. How about this topic: "Does anybody really want that much Karl Rove?"

    Rush Limbaugh
    Unable to figure out how to back up e-mails on his Mac, a frustrated Rush Limbaugh beseeched Steve Jobs, on his radio program last year, to help him out. The problem must have been a tough fix; until this, we'd never heard of Rush asking for a Democrat's opinion.

    Getty Images

    Eliot Spitzer
    After resigning from the office of Governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer finally found a new job last month, writing a weekly column for the online publication Slate. We wonder if that Playboy.com job fell through due to "a lack of moral fiber."

    White House Christmas vid
    Weirder than ever, George Bush and the rest of the First Family released their most eyebrow-raising Christmas video yet late last year. We're not sure what guest stars and gold medallists Michael Phelps and Nastia Liukin have to do with the Holidays, but we do know they're more popular than the still-President.


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Tags: bob barr, BobBarr, drm, dvd, movies, mpaa, piracy, politics, real dvd, real networks, RealDvd, RealNetworks

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