I’m sorry, but the digital revolution in telecommunication and multimedia is very likely to have a dangerous effect (i.e. right limitations) on users/consumers.
This is a simple and limited example:

Well, suppose you are looking to a movie on your new digital HD TV. The commercial starts and you search for the remote controller to switch to another channel.
You push the button… and the channel don’t change. Moreover, a message appears on the screen:
“Be cool, your controller is good, but following the new policy of this TV station, your remote controller is disabled during the commercials broadcasting. Please, consider that this TV station needs the commercials incomes to offer new and beautiful channels. Your controller will become fully functional after the commercials space. TYVM for your cooperation”
This thing is not limited to the people looking at the movie in real time. Even if you record the movie with your new DVD recorder you will be affected. The Fast Forward function will be disabled during the advertisement’s broadcasting.

It’s not science fiction and it’s not pessimist attitude. It’s a new Philips patent which prevents a user from changing the channel during commercials. According to Ars Technica, ABC is very interested in.
Now, consider that this is a little example of exploiting the digital technologies to control the users. It seem that the aim of the major is:

• music, movies and multimedia contents completely blocked. No copy (even for personal use) and no loan between friends (this is the DRM)
• computers totally under control by the so called Trusted Computing technologies. Only allowed software can run and only allowed (so called “safe“) platforms can go on line.