I read this book about a week ago – wow! What a frickin awesome book. I loved every minute of it.
But you see, I’m a little unclear on the distinction between what is currently factual, and what is near-future speculation in the book with respect to UK Intellectual Property law. (for instance, as it relates to downloading mp3s, mashups, etc.)
In the book:
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People undergo a mandatory search when entering a movie theater, and must surrender their cellphones until the movie is over. (to prevent surreptitious recording of films.) Is this currently a fact?
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Teenagers (or, I guess, anyone) living in government-subsidized housing, upon repeated offense of illegal downloading, incur one years’ loss of all internet priveleges for their entire household. Is this, or something similar, actually going on in England now?
Anything else you can add to my understanding of this issue is appreciated.
I very much doubt either of those things are happening. First and foremost because Doctorow has a terrible grasp on mainstream technology.
I mean, this is a man who wrote a “near-future” book that hinged on Microsoft being forced to give away Xboxes because every kid in the world was too busy being fascinated with geocaching and Facebook games.
Doctorow is American as far as I know. Does the book take place in the UK?
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Haven’t heard of this anywhere. I have heard of special cameras that can detect when movie goers use recording equipment. I’ve also heard of theaters wanting to use cell phone jammers, but being denied by the FCC in the US as illegal.
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Not in the US. There have been stories of various European countries enacting or trying to enact laws which strip violators of file sharing sharing infringements of their Internet privileges based solely on unproven accusations, and punishing whoever subscribes in the household regardless of who the actual infringer might be.
Neither of those things are true in the UK.
Doctorow is Canadian but has been living in the UK for years.