By Jim Hu
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
April 10, 2002, 8:20 AM PT
PC manufacturer Gateway on Wednesday launched a campaign to support the popular consumption of digital music as Congress contemplates legislation that would put the onus on the tech industry to battle piracy.
The campaign comes in the face of a bill proposed in Washington, D.C., by Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings, D-S.C., which has caused a stir among technology companies. One element of the bill would require computer manufacturers and consumer electronics companies to install anti- piracy software in their digital devices.
Gateway considers the language of the bill a threat to CD-burner shipments, which could be outlawed if the bill passes, according to Gateway spokesman Brad Williams. A ban on the sale of CD burners, which allow people to copy digitized information such as music files onto a blank disc, could hobble CD sales and in turn hurt PC sales.
"It's one of top five reasons why people buy PCs today," Williams said.
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http://news.com.com/2100-1023-879811.html - story
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