ECA creates Gamers for Digital Rights movement
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Oct 2nd 2009 at 10:45AM }
The GDR's mission is to "get the information out to consumers on the ins and outs of content protection," instructing its members on their rights in relation to restrictive DRM and unfair EULAs. Those interested in joining the group can sign up on the ECA's Facebook page. If you're hoping to get into the action right this second, ECA president Hal Halpin has penned a petition you can sign and send to the FTC, who's currently holding town hall meetings to discuss the future of DRM.
Or you can, you know, do none of that stuff. Just don't let us hear you complaining when the next Sporegate debacle starts up.
[Via Shacknews]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Storm Eagle [Resident Capcom Megafan] @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:49AM
What the hell is that logo doing and why does it look like a giant penis?
acefondu @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:55AM
...it only looked like a giant penis until I read your comment. Now I can't stop it from looking like a giant penis...
Mewchu [Super Kawaii Power! ^.^ ] @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:56AM
Come on people, this is Joystiq not Kotaku.
-Z- @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:57AM
It's like a penis with HAL in it. "I can't let you do her, Dave."
Marty @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:57AM
Why is it always giant penises with you?
Storm Eagle [Resident Capcom Megafan] @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:03AM
I can't help what God gave me.
iamnotafish @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:21AM
Now I can only see a penis there. Thanks a lot Storm Eagle.
Storm Eagle [Resident Capcom Megafan] @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:23AM
Just helping out humanity :D
The Dark Wayne [Planeteer: Power of the Batusi] @ Oct 2nd 2009 12:38PM
I like to picture it more as a GIANT ENEMY CRAB
[ArchiGamer] [Soon to be a major religion] @ Oct 2nd 2009 3:37PM
I honestly don't see a penis.
abelpc @ Oct 3rd 2009 6:17PM
It would seem you have a Penis Fixation?
Warlock @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:56AM
These guys have been around for awhile now. Nice thing is if you join you get 10% off all games at Amazon.
Marty @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:59AM
I'm all for the removal of DRM from the publishers' toolkits. It's terrible that the people who pay for the game get hit the worst by the DRM.
But then I hear stories like World of Goo's 90% piracy rate, and I can't help but think that DRM, at least in very light forms, like Steam, still has a place in the world.
Moris @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:44AM
agreed... steam is the best in my opinion :P If you want to play games offline then just set it to offline mode before signing off, and your good to go if you have no internet connection :)
ducttapeBigSexy @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:53AM
Steam has been cracked, just like every other form of DRM.
I think the best thing a company can hope for is to stop complete n00bs, but that can be stopped by a simple disc check. If someone is able to figure out how to use a crack to get around a disc check, I guarantee they'll know how to track down a workaround for any other form of copy-protection.
As for a solution... well, I'm really not sure. Too bad - if I did, I'd be a billionaire :P
ducttapeBigSexy @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:56AM
Also, to add to that, I think Steam is possibly the worst form of DRM, as it requires you to rely on the functioning of the company's servers. Who's to say that next time you reinstall, Valve will still be in business?
RKN @ Oct 2nd 2009 12:31PM
Fuck DRM. Developers should do something like this, release a public announcement via the internet such as Epic saying, "You want Gears of War 2 on the PC? Never going to happen, because of the high piracy rates!" We may have started out on the PC, the PC made us what we are today, but we're abandoning it in favor of consoles because of you fucking pirates, thanks a lot!"
Then, some pirates will convert over when they see what damage their deeds do, finding out because of them some games won't come to the PC.
ColossalHat @ Oct 2nd 2009 2:10PM
"Who's to say that next time you reinstall, Valve will still be in business?"
People who are waiting on Half Life 2: Episode 3?
Tom Kalinske, CEO. @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:04AM
The word 'Facebook' and the implied word 'internet petition' just destroyed all credibility this organization had.
Anytime the government gets involved in video games it's a mess. Anyone remember the disaster that the '93 Lieberman 'violent video games' hearings were?
JeezWhiz87 @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:05AM
Maybe they can bring down SecuRom, that is seriously the worst. I had to crack my legitimately purchased copy of Heroes of Might and Magic V because I had a virtual drive installed. The game wouldn't play right even after removing the virtual drive.
Also, 10% off Amazon games? Why WOULDN'T you join?
K387 @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:33AM
And the problem there too is that you can't return the software. So for the average consumer, they get home, install the game, can't play it and are now SOL. Piracy sucks, we all know it, the publishers know it and the devs know it. But fighting anonymous groups who are very smart and committed to cracking doesn't stop anything.
You've got give people reasons to BUY the software. Heck, for the longest time I didn't see movies in theatres (waited for DVD) because for my wife and I to go, it would run us $30-40 depending on if we bought popcorn and such. Now, we go more regularly because there's a theatre near us that charges $2.99 for matinees and $3.99 evening shows. Now our costs are at least half.
Not saying that game prices should come down, but find creative ways of adding value.
RKN @ Oct 2nd 2009 12:33PM
I am also forced to crack some of my games like Mass Effect and Crysis Warhead because of the fucking Securom DRM. I'm pissed that they don't tell you about this on the box, they hide it from you, where you have 5 activations and one is used up even if you format your PC, install a new OS, even when installing a new motherboard which I did, etc.
EA has made their recent titles with less DRM or DRM free like Sims 3, but they release a revoke tool for the older games, just remove DRM from the older games too! I'm not going to bother to deactivate all my games before formatting my computer, fuck you.
The Return of Lieutenant Gunther (PSN: helghast102) @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:16AM
I stopped reading after "Facebook", no thanks
budboyy2k @ Oct 2nd 2009 1:17PM
Yeah, me too
Silicon Siren @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:34AM
I stopped joining once I realized it was a for-profit organization. I was planning on donating to the cause but I'm not going to join an activist group that requires a fee to join. I’ll wait for someone who isn’t out to make money comes along and does it right.
Mewchu [Super Kawaii Power! ^.^ ] @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:58AM
When your oppisition has a literal f*ckton of money and in FACT is all about money and protecting money, well, you can't just go into that kind of fight broke as a PS3 fan post game-buying binge.
You need money to pay lawyers, who do the legal stuff to make organizations like this work.
It's not like they're going to use your money to host LAN parties, so quit being a miser and pony up.
Unless you LIKE DRM... 0_o
cjshrader @ Oct 2nd 2009 12:11PM
Most Joystiq readers will probably make that money back with the 10% discount you get on games at Amazon. I say it's worth it.
HappyFunBall @ Oct 2nd 2009 12:31PM
It's not a for-profit organization...
"By way of background, the Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit membership organization established to serve the needs of those who play computer and video games."
Vcize @ Oct 2nd 2009 1:47PM
I think Silicon is badly confused as to what the term "not for profit" means. Most not for profit companies still charge for their services to cover their costs.
For instance, most blood banks are not for profit but they still charge hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a bag of blood/plateletes/etc. How else are they going to pay for their employees, supplies, tests (you don't want blood that has aids, right?), software, buildings, couriers to transport the blood, etc etc etc.
Silicon Siren @ Oct 2nd 2009 3:49PM
Not-for-profit =/= non-profit.
Lrn2law.
t_m @ Oct 3rd 2009 2:08AM
not-for-profit =/= for-profit.
;-)
abelpc @ Oct 3rd 2009 6:19PM
Hamburgers = Delicious
Lrn2Eat