So you like names?

While the RIAA rages against America's students, and we see their onslaught as the most horrific event of this new century, two others loom darkly. And they're far worse than Hilary Rosen's DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act).

One is Palladium, and the other, the TCPA (Trusted Computing Platform Alliance). And behind them are not the record labels, nor even Hollywood, although there are undoubtedly links back to the entertainment industry via some of the member companies.

Rather, they're quietly moving forward with most, if not all, of the most powerful IT companies in the world backing them to the hilt.

Microsoft publicly announced Palladium last year and claims it's the beginning of a new age in computing. That may well be. But whether or not you'll want to be there is another question.

Because, cut to the bone, PPC (Palladium Personal Computer) police technologies won't allow PPCs to run unauthorised applications or perform unauthorised tasks. And these same 'trusted' PPCs could, of course, easily be configured to allow public and private agencies and vendors to access private and personal data on your computer, and/or to report back to them every time you do something that's not on the 'officially approved' list.

The TCPA, in the meanwhile, was formed by Compaq, HP, IBM, Intel and Microsoft in 1999 and its mission statement says, "Through the collaboration of HW [hardware], SW [software], communications, and technology vendors, drive and implement TCPA specifications for an enhanced HW and OS based trusted computing platform that implements trust into client, server, networking, and communication platforms."

The infamous Senator Fritz Hollings of South Carolina has been going blue trying to get the US Congress to make TCPA mandatory in all consumer electronics. That should be enough to give you a clue on just how trusted it is.

And when p2pnet.net published the TCPA list of members last year, it was classified. The fact the participants now have enough confidence to go public should also tell you something.

But if you think Palladium and/or the TCPA are nothing to worry about, just plug either one into your favourite search engine and go from there.

TCPA Members: 123ID, Inc; 360 Degree Web; 3Com Corp; Access360; Acer, Inc; ACEtek Research; ActivCard Inc; Adhaero Technologies; Adobe Systems, Inc; dvanced Micro Devices, Inc; Aesec Corporation; Aladdin Knowledge Systems; Algorithmic Research Ltd; ALi Corporation; American Express Company; American Megatrends Inc; Argus Security Corporation; Atmel Corporation; ATMEL Rousset; AuthenTec, Inc; Authentium, Inc; Autotrol Uruguaya S.A.; Baltimore Technologies Ltd; BERGDATA AG
BindView Development; Blueice Research; Broadcom Corporation; BURNEY Carraig Ltd; Caveo Technology LLC; Cavium Networks; CE-Infosys Pte Ltd; Cerberus Information Security Limited; Certicom Corp; Check Point Software Technologies Ltd; CHECKFLOW Chrysalis-ITS; Cimarron Systems Incorporated; CipherKey Exchange Corporation; Cloakware Corporation; Communication Intelligence Corporation; Comodo Research Lab LTD; Compagnie Européenne de Développement SA; Compal Electronics, Inc; Compaq Computer Corporation; Computer Associates International, Inc; Computer Elektronik Infosys GmbH; Crypto AG; Cygate ESM Oy; CYLINK Corporation; Dell Computer Corporation; DICA Technologies Inc; DigiGAN, Inc; Digital Innotech Co; Digital Persona Inc; Discretix Technologies Ltd; e-PCguard.com, Inc; eCryp, IncEltan Comm B.V.; Enova Technology Corporation; Ensure Technologies; Entrust Technologies Ltd; ERACOM Pty Ltd; Ethentica; Excalibur Solutions, Inc; FARGOS Development, LLC
FINGLOQ AB; First Access, Inc; Fortress Technologies Inc; Founder Technology Computer System CO.,LTD; Fujitsu Limited; Fujitsu-Siemens-Computers; Gateway, Inc; Gemplus Corporation; GLOBEtrotter Software; Hewlett-Packard Company; Hitachi, Ltd PC Div; Humans and Machines; HyperSecur Corporation; I/O Software, Inc; ICSA.net; ID Tech; IdentAlink Limited; Infineon Technologies Corporation; Infineon Technologies Asia Pacific Pte Ltd; InfoCore, Inc; Insyde Software Corp; Integrity Sciences, Inc; Intel Corporation; Interlok Technologies L.L.C.; International Business Machines Corporation; International Service Consultants Ltd; Internet Dynamics, Inc; Internet Security Systems; InterTrust Technologies; Iomega Corporation IPTV Ltd; Kasten Chase Applied Research; Keycorp Ltd; Keyware Technologies, Inc; Lanworks Technologies Co; Legend SHENZHEN) R&D Center, Legend Group Ltd; Lexign; Liquid Audio, Inc; Litronic Inc; LOGISIL Consulting; M-Systems Flash Disk Pioneers; M3S Enterprises; Macrovision Corporation; Massive Media Group; Media DNA Incorporated; Medialogic Co, Ltd; Miaxis Biometrics Co; Micron Electronics, Inc; Microsoft Corporation; Mitac International Corporation; Mobile-Mind, Inc; Motorola; National Semiconductor; nCipher Inc; NDS Limited; NEC Corporation; Net Nanny Software International; NetActive Inc; NetAtmosphere Inc; NetOctave, Inc; NetSecure Software Canada; Network Associates, Inc; New Trend Technology Inc; Novell, Inc; nVidia; O2Micro; OSA Technologies; PC Guardian; Philips Semiconductors; Phoenix Technologies, Ltd; Pijnenburg Custom Chips B.V.; Precision Digital Hardware; Pricewaterhouse Coopers; Prism Resources, Inc; Pro-Team Computer Corp; Protect Data Security Inc; Rainbow Technologies, Inc; Raytheon Company; Raz-Net Inc; Redstrike B.V.; RSA Security, Inc; SafeNet, Incorporated; SAFLINK Corporation; SAGEM MORPHO, Inc; SAGRELTO Enterprises, Inc; SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO. LTD; Schlumberger, Smart Cards; Science Applications International Co; Scienton Technologies Inc; SCM Microsystems; Sectra Communications AB; Securant Technologies; Secure Computing Corporation; Secure Systems Solutions; Siemens AG; Silicon Integrated Systems Corp; Softex, Inc; Sony Electronics, Inc; Sospita ASA; SPYRUS, Inc; SSH Communications Security, Inc; Standard Microsystems Corporation; STMicroelectronics; Symantec Corporation; Symbol Technologies, Inc; TCL Computer Technology Co, Ltd; Texar Software Corp; Thales e-Security, Inc; TimeCertain, LLC; Titan Systems Corporation; Toshiba Corporation; Trend Micro, Inc; Tripwire, Inc; Trispen Technologies; TruSec Solutions; Trustpoint Corporation; Tsinghua Tongfang Co., Ltd; TVN Entertainment Corporation; Ubizen; Utimaco Safeware AG; ValiCert Inc; VeraSafe, Inc; Verasity Technologies; Veridicom, Inc; Verisign, Inc; VIA Technologies, Inc; Vibren Technologies, An NEC Company; Viewpoint Engineering; Village Inc; Voltaire Advanced Data Security Ltd; Wave Systems Corp; Wincor Nixdorf; WinMagic, Inc; and, WinVista Corporation.