Just as we are on the verge of space-shifting viewing (to go with the ‘time-shifting’ all but necessary now in a post-VCR era where we have multi-channel time-starved modern worklives), the Hollywood studios want to stop it. The flurry of proposals in the U.S. legislature to neuter P2P networks and developers makes it all look like another U.S. landgrab to sacrifice consumer use in the interests of commercial exploitation of intellectual property rights by media conglomerates.

The creeping extension of copyright law (particularly in the U.S., which also impacts internationally in a disproportionate manner) and restrictions on the personal use of intellectual property has very direct implications for creators of new entertainment and advanced moving image forms as well as users who just want to experience their media in digitally enhanced ways not prescribed by the entertainment networks.

PVRblog notes the Copyfight > Senator McCain shows spine on IP; defends controlling your own TV/DVR” href=”http://www.corante.com/copyfight/archives/026564.html” target=”_blank”>has raised concerns over consumer fair use and common practice.

Meanwhile the INDUCE (Inducing infringement of Copyright) act, that would extend punitive action for P2P use and diminish fair use of intellectual property has currently stalled while compromises are attempted between the industry and opponents. Of course this could also be a smokescreen for other bills to sneak through such as HR4077 Piracy Deterrence in Education that also creates Copyfutures and Read the Post Killing digital viewing

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