At a recent talk, author and activist Cory Doctorow discussed the evolving challenges surrounding general-purpose computers and their regulation. Moving beyond copyright issues, which he has addressed extensively, Doctorow emphasized that the ongoing battles over digital rights management (DRM) and copyright enforcement are just the beginning of a much larger conflict over how computers and networks are controlled.
Doctorow traced the history of software distribution and DRM, explaining how early attempts to prevent software copying—such as physical protections on floppy disks and dongles—were ineffective and unpopular with legitimate users. As networks expanded, so did the sophistication of piracy and the corresponding DRM efforts, leading to laws like the WIPO Copyright Treaty that criminalized circumventing DRM technologies and sharing information about them.
However, these legal measures failed to stop unauthorized copying and instead introduced new problems, including restrictions that limit users' ability to inspect and control their own computers. Doctorow argued that these laws impose unrealistic demands on technology and have led to widespread adoption of intrusive measures akin to spyware and rootkits embedded in devices.
He illustrated this with examples such as Sony's rootkit scandal and Nintendo's firmware bricking devices upon detecting tampering. Doctorow also highlighted concerns about secure boot technologies like UEFI, which could enable governments to restrict which operating systems can run, raising human rights issues.
On the network side, attempts to block copyright infringement have converged with censorship and surveillance tactics used by authoritarian regimes. Doctorow cited the U.S. Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) as an example, noting that its supporters pointed to similar measures in countries with repressive governments as evidence of effectiveness.
Doctorow warned that the copyright wars are merely a precursor to a broader, long-term struggle over general-purpose computing. As computers become embedded in cars, radios, medical devices, and even bodies, the stakes will rise. He pointed out emerging challenges with software-defined radios, 3D printing, gene sequencing, and self-driving cars, where regulators and powerful interests will seek to restrict computing capabilities to prevent perceived risks.
He argued that attempts to create computers that run all programs except those deemed undesirable inevitably lead to spyware-like controls that undermine user autonomy. Doctorow stressed the importance of maintaining open and free computing systems to preserve user freedom and prevent the rise of pervasive surveillance and control.
Concluding, Doctorow called for support of organizations defending digital rights and open systems, emphasizing that while the challenges ahead are significant, early efforts to resist restrictive controls provide valuable experience for the battles to come.