FC: News Corp. decries Net's moral fiber, wants new laws

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

http://news.com.com/2100-1023-954651.html

   Media chief decries Net's moral fiber
   By Declan McCullagh
   August 21, 2002, 6:13 AM PT

   ASPEN, Colo.--The president of media giant News Corp. warns that the
   Internet has become a "moral-free zone," with the medium's future
   threatened by pornography, spam and rampant piracy.

   Speaking Tuesday at an annual conference organized by the Progress &
   Freedom Foundation, Peter Chernin decried the "enormous amount" of
   worthless content online. He also predicted that without new laws to
   stave off illicit copying, News Corp.'s vast library of movies may
   never be made available in digital form.

   "The vast potential of broadband has so far benefited nobody as
   clearly as it's benefited downloaders of pornography and pirates of
   digital content," Chernin told an audience of about 200. News Corp.
   owns 20th Century Fox and Fox Television.

   [...]

   In an interview after his speech, Chernin threw News Corp.'s support
   behind three controversial bills. The company backs a plan by Sen.
   Fritz Hollings, D-S.C., to implant copy-protection technology in
   software and hardware devices, as well as a bill introduced last month
   by Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., that would authorize copyright
   holders to hack into and disrupt peer-to-peer networks.

   [...]




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