Audio Broadcast Flag Licensing Act of 2006

H.R. 4861, the Audio Broadcast Flag Licensing Act of 2006, would have granted the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the authority to require digital radio broadcasters and equipment manufacturers to implement "broadcast flag" technology. This technology was designed to prevent listeners from making unauthorized digital copies or redistributing music and programs transmitted over digital radio and satellite radio services.

For the average citizen, this bill would have likely resulted in new technical restrictions on digital radio receivers, potentially limiting the ability to record, save, or share broadcast content on personal devices. While the bill aimed to protect copyrighted material from digital piracy, it would have required all future consumer electronics capable of receiving digital audio to comply with these anti-copying standards.