Last night the DRM Elimination Crew attended the grand opening of Apple's new store in Boston -- now its largest US store.
The clear glass front of the store stands in stark contrast to Apple's unethical business practices, including using opaque Digital Restrictions Management software to take rights away from its customers.
TAKE ACTION
"If consumers even know there's a DRM, what it is, and how it works, we've already failed" - Disney Executive.
Defeating DRM is all about awareness. The direct actions that we have taken are all about this. Whether it means protesting outside Apple Stores in Hazmat suits or getting HUGE press coverage for announcing the Bono petition (sign it now). Action gets attention, and creates space for debate. And as our friends at Disney recognize, if there is a debate, we will have won.
As many of you may already know, this morning DefectiveByDesign.org had a problem with our mail server and the mailing application that we use to stay in touch with you. While we are still investigating the problem that may have caused you to receive multiple messages about today's action, we can't say exactly what went wrong. We can assure you that we will get to the bottom of it and fix the problem so that something like this does not happen again.
We can understand that some of you may have a gut reaction to receiving this message multiple times, it may strike you as SPAM or UBE, I want to make it clear that we did not intend to, or initiate the sending of this message multiple times to you, further more, we're not selling anything, and we got your email address from you, so while the messages might be an annoyance – and we are sorry for that – they are not SPAM.
I've posted the details for the conference call tomorrow.
Remember to join the call on time, space will be limited.
One Freedom Fighter called up Peter Jamieson, the CEO of the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Apparently, Mr. Jamieson had been getting quite a few calls that morning:
"He said that I was the 17th call he had received :) he sounded tired. I asked what he thought about DRM. He said, "I only found out what it meant a few days ago". I told him that I didn't want DRM in my music or technology. He said "DRM was allowing music to be made available online". I said I don't want locks on my culture. He said "DRM allows you buy your culture", and said I should "go and educate myself."
I think this is one of my favorite stories. Earlier this morning, a kind-hearted and intrepid Freedom Fighter tried to call Cary Sherman, the President of the RIAA, to let Mr. Sherman know about the dangers posed by DRM. This is his story:
"Spoke to secretary. The poor lady complained that she hadn't even had coffe yet and that it was too early for all of this. I asked her about DRM and gave my case concerning it to her. She said its been hellacious so far with the calls but that everyone have been nice and respectful. The suits are throwing their secretaries under the bus today."
One successful caller stayed on message with Graham Henderson, CEO of the Canadian Recording Industry Association. "I basically explained that I am a music lover who owns about 300 CDs and that I would like to be able to buy music online. However I was not willing to do that unless it enabled me to do the same lawful uses that CDs do. I asked him to reconsider his position on DRM and to ask Apple to sell DRM free music."
Way to go, Freedom Fighters! If you'd like to get involved, visit http://defectivebydesign.or
One Freedom Fighter reports calling an exec at the BPI in Britain. After leaving a message on the bloke's mobile, the exec actually rang back, confused, and "asked [me] what...was going [on] and why he had been receiving so many phone calls from "freaks" today. I told him it was [a] demonstration going on and that we wanted to express our hatred towards DRM."
Want to join the fun? Visit http://defectivebydesign.org/actions/freedom_rings_riaa
