Dumb Copyright Laws Hurt Farmers and Mechanics, Too
If you’re a certain type of technology geek, you may be upset that it’s probably illegal for you to unlock your $500 smartphone.
But according to Wired, that same law has much more far-reaching effects in an economy increasingly dependent on digitized products. Farmer Kerry Adams, for example, was forced to abandon more than $200,000 worth of machinery — the kind of equipment that you could once have fixed locally in any rural town—because the manufacturers had copyrighted the service manuals.
Manufacturers have systematically used copyright in this manner over the past 20 years to limit our access to information. Technology has moved too fast for copyright laws to keep pace, so corporations have been exploiting the lag to create information monopolies at our expense and for their profit.
That’s right: technicians all over the country are increasingly being barred by copyright legislation from fixing all kinds of cars, phones, and industrial machinery without the manufacturer’s permission.
It’s not supposed to be this way. Even if you don’t care about unlocking your smartphone, spare a moment for the sake of your local independent mechanic and see what you can do about it.
Photo: ladydragonfly
I would honestly say it’s probably not an unintended consequence that you can’t get this stuff fixed. If you can’t get it fixed, then you have to buy a new one, and on and on $$$$$$$
Interestingly, car manufacturers are required by law to make their service manuals publicly available — but not their digital diagnostic codes or the technology to interface with the diagnostic sensors and computers. There is no such law for computer, phone, or “light” industrial equipment manufacturers.
Somewhat off topic, but farming is so expensive. Even small family farmers are basically CEO/CFOs of multimillion dollar corporations.
@highjump Can you explain your point a little differently? I’m interested in what you have to say but I’m confused.
You mean that small family farmers were once CEO or CFOs of large corps so they can afford to farm? Or that farmers are slaves to large corps?
@sox I mean that because of the costs and complexities of modern farming the balance sheet of even a small family farm includes millions of dollars in equipment, raw materials, insurance, and labor. The profit, if one is lucky, usually averages out to a five figure middle class salary. It is a very complex business with costs much larger than other family run businesses like restaurants or retail.