Guardian's Cory Doctorow wrote an enlightening piece, analyzing the risks and cons of the repeated steps made by Software and Hardware vendors around the world aiming to prevent Intellectual property (IP) thefts and other mischiefs. The brings an excellent summary of current and near-future steps which more than assist IP owners, hurt the users of the products. I'll quote the gist immediately, but If you intend to read one article this month about IT, this is the one:
"For reasons good and bad, the things we rely on for our jobs, our political organising, our family affairs, our social lives and our cultural transactions are being rebuilt to control us and spy on us.
For each of these control measures, the question isn't whether they'll fail, but when they will, and who will hijack their capabilities. Virus writers have already noticed that their malicious software can get a free ride if it targets digital rights management technology that hides itself from the operating system. Will it be an identity thief next? A dodgy "private investigator" who wants to read an MP's email over her shoulder? A totalitarian government that wants to broadcast the kill-signal to phones being used to organise mass demonstrations?"
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