This blogger is interested in "Veil" technology being pushed by big business onto the consumer via Congress.
http://www.kathryncramer.com/kathryn_cramer/2006/02/veil_technology.htmlI emailed the company that sells VEIL and asked for a copy of the specification. I figured I would be able to get it. After all, the bill would make compliance with the VEIL spec mandatory — the spec would in effect be part of the law. Surely, I thought, they’re not proposing passing a secret law. Surely they’re not going to say that the citizenry isn’t allowed to know what’s in the law that Congress is considering. We’re talking about television here, not national security.
After some discussion, the company helpfully explained that I could get the spec, if I first signed their license agreement. The agreement requires me (a) to pay them $10,000, and (b) to promise not to talk to anybody about what is in the spec. In other words, I can know the contents of the bill Congress is debating, but only if I pay $10k to a private party, and only if I promise not to tell anybody what is in the bill or engage in public debate about it.
Worse yet, this license covers only half of the technology: the VEIL decoder, which detects VEIL signals. There is no way you or I can find out about the encoder technology that puts VEIL signals into video.
This secrecy screams SCAM to me
Of course anyone not signing such an agreement is free to publicise the method and read all of the patents that may show the method..
I agree this is just a lock out for joe public, a patent will show more than parting with 10k of cash to a business interest.
What actually worries me is how congress can expect to allow an unknown technical method into legislation, its not good practice or policy and so I urge concern regarding any announcements of commitee hearings regarding this viels/shadows technology.
