Profits over ethics. Nothing ever changes.
MPAA Kills Anti-Pretexting Bill
A tough California bill that would have prohibited companies and individuals from using deceptive “pretexting” ruses to steal private information about consumers was killed after determined lobbying by the motion picture industry, Wired News has learned.
The bill, SB1666, was written by state Sen. Debra Bowen, and would have barred investigators from making “false, fictitious or fraudulent” statements or representations to obtain private information about an individual, including telephone calling records, Social Security numbers and financial information. Victims would have had the right to sue for damages.
[…]
“The MPAA has a tremendous amount of clout and they told legislators, ‘We need to pose as someone other than who we are to stop illegal downloading,'” Goldberg said.
“It doesn’t surprise me that the MPAA would be against bills that protect privacy, and the MPAA has shown that they are willing to pay lots of money to intrude on privacy,” Rothken said. “I do think there needs to be better laws in place that would deter such conduct and think that it would probably be useful if our elected officials would not be intimidated by the MPAA when trying to pass laws to protect privacy.”
Are we sure this wasn’t from BBSpot?!
I guess Republicans aren’t the only ones against protecting personal privacy if the money is right.
I guess Republicans aren’t the only ones against protecting personal privacy if the money is right.
If you’re on drugs, stop.
If you’re not on drugs, please, get the help that you need.
3,
Number 2 has a point. But NO GOVERNMENT PARTY OR MEMBER cares about you, me or anyone. Just the dollars. They’re prostitutes without the morals.
According to this article http://www.itworld.com/Man/2681/061130hpspy/index.html
the investigators working for HP were pretexting… so if that isn’t illegal in California how were they charged?
They were charged with conspiracy, identity theft and two other felonies.
Can anyone tell me why the MPAA is not being charged with identity theft?
According to the article the MPAA to gather evidence they admit to pretexting… If the MPAA tries to come after me, admitting any of thier evidence in the suit will clearly be an admission of guilt in identity theft and possibly conspracy, correct? Why doesn’t the california GA go after the MPAA like they went after the HP executives?
Prostitutes indeed!
When does the name change to “Corporate States of America” take effect?
The Republican reign has ended, but the malady lingers on…
#5, I thought their general practice was to drop the suits against anyone who looked like they were going to fight back.
When hackers use pretexting, it’s called social engineering.
I don’t think it is fair to say that MPAA killed the bill. From Slashdot, I read other reasons why the bill was killed, most notably policemen needing to pose as others to catch pedofiles.
Thank you “Named”. That was my point. Both parties are basically the same and I have to laugh when I hear all the lefties here bash the Republicans, when the Dems will do the same things when they have the chance. And we will, the Dems will probably capture the White House in 08 and they will control all 3. Then the shenanigans will begin, just like when the Republicans were in charge. Its no different.
most notably policemen needing to pose as others to catch pedophiles.
I don’t know, they could have made a law enforcement exception. I’m not buying it.
9,
The pedophiles part seemed a bit straw-man. I mean, who would defend his rights in a case like that?
Politicians are whores. If only we could find a way to thin out their ranks…
#9, gq,
most notably policemen needing to pose as others to catch pedophiles.
I don’t know, they could have made a law enforcement exception. I’m not buying it.
Comment by gquaglia — 12/1/2006 @ 11:17 am
I’m not sure if an exception would be needed. All the police need to do is be careful they don’t cross the line into entrapment. Most pedophile stings lay out the bait and let the pedophiles come to them. The MPAA is more aggressive and will misrepresent themselves in order to access files, etc.
You raised a good point.
#8 – While catching pedophiles is the number one boogeyman issue of our time, it shouldn’t be an issue…
If the law (which I haven’t read) really was as the artical says “A tough California bill that would have prohibited companies and individuals from using deceptive “pretexting” ruses to steal private information about consumers” then that would be great and should be the law. Law enforcement agencies are not companies or individuals, and if there might be confusion, it should be spelled out.
Ah yes, raise the spectre of pedophilia and no DRM scheme is extreme enough, no personal rights or freedoms are important enough until it is eviscerated from our consciousness.
Of course you’d have the kind of totalitarian society that would make the Borg look like slackers, or the world of “1984” like preschool.
Oh, there’s the bonus of insuring that the owners of every byte of information are compensated for even the most cursory glance.