On Tuesday a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals heard a case advanced by the American Library Association and eight partners challenging the validity of an FCC decision to require digital television sets and video recorders to comply with broadcast flag technology. A broadcast flag is essentially a copy protection mechanism embedded in the data stream of DTV content. “Activation” of the flag will make it impossible to record or play back DTV programs unless done so on “approved” devices. Under the FCC decree as it stands presently electronics-makers will have to roll out broadcast flag-compliant devices in July. Continue reading “D.C. Circuit Seems Wary of Broadcast Flag”