Wiretapping, impounding records, asset forfeiture? Arresting grandmothers and people without computers for downloading a couple of songs ain’t nothing compared to what’s coming.
Congress readies broad new digital copyright bill
For the last few years, a coalition of technology companies, academics and computer programmers has been trying to persuade Congress to scale back the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
Now Congress is preparing to do precisely the opposite. A proposed copyright law seen by CNET News.com would expand the DMCA’s restrictions on software that can bypass copy protections and grant federal police more wiretapping and enforcement powers.
The draft legislation, created by the Bush administration and backed by Rep. Lamar Smith, already enjoys the support of large copyright holders such as the Recording Industry Association of America. Smith, a Texas Republican, is the chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee that oversees intellectual-property law.
But one of the more controversial sections may be the changes to the DMCA. Under current law, Section 1201 of the law generally prohibits distributing or trafficking in any software or hardware that can be used to bypass copy-protection devices. (That section already has been used against a Princeton computer science professor, Russian programmer Dmitry Sklyarov and a toner cartridge remanufacturer.)
Smith’s measure would expand those civil and criminal restrictions. Instead of merely targeting distribution, the new language says nobody may “make, import, export, obtain control of, or possess” such anticircumvention tools if they may be redistributed to someone else.
Criminal asset forfeiture will be done following the rules established by federal drug laws.
sweet!
And I thought I was just having a bad hair day.
Welcome to King George’s Brave New World.
That is what happens when lawmakers, who have no clue when it comes to technology, meet deep pocket lobbyists. The result is a rich lawmaker, a rich company as a result of the lawmakers efforts and a screwed over populous. Welcome to the new millennium.
So, since a kid in Norway managed to defeat copy protection on a CD with a Sharpie, this makes Sharpies illegal now????
I guess the RIAA and CD vendors can now go after Sharpie…
No wonder DC is called ‘The Logic Free Zone”. If they can’t protect the physical borders, the Digital ones are just as bad….
It is not only the law makers that are clueless… Many Americans choose not to vote or continue to keep these clowns in office.
How often does an incumbent loose an election?
In the 2000 election, a federally imposed email tax was a hot button campaign issue even though no such bill existed. The politicians new the electorate understood how such a scheme would impact them directly. Until the consumer/voter understands how the proposed son of DMCA will impact them, what hope is there of applying pressure to congress?
Michael
If you want to send the message, cut the money off at the source. Can you imagine the panic that would ensue if an organized effort could stop even 50% of sells of CD’s for a single week. These people own the consumers, and they know it. I have no idea how you can convince 13 to 17 year olds not to buy that got to have CD for a week. When someone does, that’s it for this industry.
Remember what is was like before the internet?
I do and maybe it won’t be so bad…
I did have a lot more free time. I also used to go outside and do things like ‘sports’ and stuff like that…
Gas will be too exxpensive to joyride like we used to do so maybe you can hang out at the park and play chess…
Back to the Future?
Actually, I want it to go back to when I first got on the internet. This was back in 1988 and there was no web, there was no commercialization, there was Usenet and IRC and FTP and Telnet. Ah, simpler times back then.
I also wrote later how the Web wasn’t going to amount to much…meh, I never claimed to be a visionary.
“I have no idea how you can convince 13 to 17 year olds not to buy that got to have CD for a week.”
I’ve never bought a CD when I had that age, and I didn’t download any music either… I’m not that old! I just don’t care about music.
Anyway I did my share 😛
Obviously, this bill doesn’t go far enough. In declaring that nobody may “make, import, export, obtain control of, or possess” such anticircumvention tools, there’s an obvious omission. It should also include that no one can “secretly wish for” those tools, but they’ll probably add that in committee.
It’s often been said we have the best democracy money can buy, underscored by recent indictments of Delay, Cunningham, Abramoff, and others. Following the money on this one to some very deep pockets is child’s play. Either pony up some cash now, or you won’t have a say in this until the next round of elections.
I hope some of you are sarcastic. You support this bill?
I mean seriously..this is just another attempt by bush to shove radio receivers up our ass. I mean this is nuts..this is F$CKING CRAZY!
I am so pissed I want some Civil disobedience action going now.
I have never felt so strongly about a political topic. Normally I hate politics..but being in the Hacker community I’ve developed a dislike for the US goverment..mainly because of this shit and others.
lets fuck them up. http://www.damagedintransit.com
Do you guys notice that we see soooooo many more bad news than we see happy/good news? Fuck the world is going to straight hell, in a lot of directions. I think im gonna be a communist. Just beacuse i can.
Let’s hear it for the brainless leading the intelligence-impaired. Sheesh. Can it get worse? Yeah, the ultimate nightmare-Bush says Cheney should be President and the idiots who voted for Jr vote for him.
I agree with Ben Franklin that anyone who gives up rights for security deserve neither (at least I think that’s the crux of it).
” But one of the more controversial sections may be the changes to the DMCA. Under current law, Section 1201 of the law generally prohibits distributing or trafficking in any software or hardware that can be used to bypass copy-protection devices. (That section already has been used against a Princeton computer science professor, Russian programmer Dmitry Sklyarov and a toner cartridge remanufacturer.)
Smith’s measure would expand those civil and criminal restrictions. Instead of merely targeting distribution, the new language says nobody may “make, import, export, obtain control of, or possess” such anticircumvention tools if they may be redistributed to someone else. ”
So this means unmonitored, uncontrolled, home computers will be rendered illegal, apparently, and not just software. Swell.
As far as the kids buying the CD’s, etc; kids don’t have money, they get it from parents, grandparents, etc.
The marketplace can fix this, especially as the content becomes evermore expensive crap. People quit buying it, the problem fades into insignificance.
I haven’t seen anything worth buying lately, anyways.
Like sheep, we’ll just go along with this – we’ll have the “anti-copyright violation war” or some such and watch as thousands of people loose their lives and livelihoods over this.