Tennessee Criminalizes "Password Sharing"

Even though there are far more pressing issues facing our brave nation (like maybe human/animal hybrids), the Tennessee state Legislature has passed and  the governor has signed -- a bill that would clamp down on people sharing passwords to music download sites.

from the Associated Press:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — State lawmakers in country music's capital have passed a groundbreaking measure that would make it a crime to use a friend's login — even with permission — to listen to songs or watch movies from services such as Netflix or Rhapsody.The bill, which has been signed by the governor, was pushed by recording industry officials to try to stop the loss of billions of dollars to illegal music sharing. They hope other states will follow.The legislation was aimed at hackers and thieves who sell passwords in bulk, but its sponsors acknowledge it could be employed against people who use a friend's or relative's subscription.While those who share their subscriptions with a spouse or other family members under the same roof almost certainly have nothing to fear, blatant offenders — say, college students who give their logins to everyone on their dormitory floor — could get in trouble.

Who's beind this? You guessed it -- the Recording Industry Association of America.

The thing is, I bet that some of the lawmakers who voted for this are some of the same folks who go to Tea Party rallies and bellow about the loss of "liberty."