[ethbro]

The physical vs virtual component is the most fascinating part of the issue for me. And the fact that "make a virtual thing that behaves like the previous physical thing" is impossible / extremely ill-advised.

We've seen the popular media analogies gradually become more accurate in their understanding that this is a novel question. And, admittedly, hats off to Tim Cooke and Apple for getting more technically accurate descriptions out in the media.

We do seem to be having a more productive discussion socially this time around.

I think the last major rebalancing of rights due to new technology concerned copyable copywritten digital media and... we decided to make a lot of things that are technically trivial illegal. Not the best message to kids that "these things are illegal, but easy to do and unenforceable."