FCC Approves Anti-Pirate Flag

The Federal Communications Commission has approved a controversial plan to allow broadcasters to insert a digital “flag” into their television programs which would prevent consumers from distributing digital copies of the program over peer-to-peer file trading services. Privacy advocates had argued that the plan infringed on the “fair use” rights of the public, but the FCC determined that U.S. copyright law made it legal for restrictions to be placed on just what consumers can do with the pictures that come across their TV screens.