Set-top Opponents Making 'Pseudo-Copyright Arguments,' EFF Says

Opponents of the FCC's set-top box proposal are making "pseudo-copyright arguments" that ignore the reality of copyright law, the Electronic Frontier Foundation said in a blog post Wednesday. Arguments that a contract with a copyright holder is required to do anything to content are false, EFF said, saying cloud-based DVRs can record content without a contract with the content owner, and TV manufacturers don't pay content companies for the right to show programming on their machines. The copyright arguments are intended to "thwart" the FCC's plan, EFF said. "Rather than listening to entities with no interest in changing the status quo, policy makers would be best served by listening to content creators who do not have a vested interest in keeping the set-top box market closed."