Steve Jobs, Get Your Head out Of the Sand!

Dear Steve,

Do you understand that imposing Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) is unethical? That attempting to control our computers and electronic devices to monitor what we do with digital files is wrong and a danger to society?

The problem for DRM proponents like you is that DRM doesn't work as advertised - and you are helping perpetuate a lie. We know you know this, you've said as much about music and DRM yourself. So why do you persist in touting DRM for video?

What DRM does do is trample my rights and creates a situation where, if I were to circumvent a DRM scheme to be in control of my computer, it would be a criminal act - thanks to legislation like the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

So what does DRM do? It monitors what I do, Often, it reports on my activities to a central authority. It locks me to one vendor of software. It limits what I do with the stuff i own. Yet Apple takes advantage of DRM to gain exactly this kind of control over its customers doesn't it?

We don't want DRM! We do want our music and video in formats free from proprietary restrictions. And we want the devices we buy to be under our control.

Do you still have Apple's head stuck in the sand?

I'm writing to suggest you take it out.