Posted on 04/24/2006 7:51:04 AM PDT by FewsOrange
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 is the chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee that oversees intellectual-property law.
Smith's press secretary, Terry Shawn, said Friday that the Intellectual Property Protection Act of 2006 is expected to "be introduced in the near future."
"The bill as a whole does a lot of good things," said Keith Kupferschmid, vice president for intellectual property and enforcement at the Software and Information Industry Association in Washington, D.C. "It gives the (Justice Department) the ability to do things to combat IP crime that they now can't presently do."
During a speech in November, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales endorsed the idea and said at the time that he would send Congress draft legislation. Such changes are necessary because new technology is "encouraging large-scale criminal enterprises to get involved in intellectual-property theft," Gonzales said, adding that proceeds from the illicit businesses are used, "quite frankly, to fund terrorism activities."
The 24-page bill is a far-reaching medley of different proposals cobbled together. One would, for instance, create a new federal crime of just trying to commit copyright infringement. Such willful attempts at piracy, even if they fail, could be punished by up to 10 years in prison...
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.com ...
If you download 'Achy Breaky Heart', then the terrorists have already won.
The recording industry is living in the 1950s and wants us all to buy a complete CD even if we only like one song and have no means of buying music a song at a time or editing our legal purchases. Somehow I seriously doubt anyone loses money by any massive pirating of Britanny Spears CDs.
There is a difference. Currently, breaking the DMCA for personal use is a civil matter. You can be sued, but you aren't going to go to jail.
This new law makes possession of the tools needed to break copy protection a federal crime with a penalty of up to 10 years in jail.
Based on the same "logic" as the above, they'll be arresting all women for posessing the equipment for being a prostitute.
I ws told that Xandros is a good Linux alternative for those who are just starting out on Linux. Is that true or are SUSE or Fedora Core better?
P.S. IBM got any jobs available?
Oh yeah, we'll all be soooo much better off with the RATS running the country and making everything "free". /RIDICULOUS
And the less and less content you'll have legal access to, especially as that leftist Stallman takes open source further and further to the left to prevent the "Tivo-ation" of it as he says.
Huh? Ever heard of a "CD Single"? How about "iTunes"?
The pubbies have been doing a great job of running this nation into the toilet. I'm making a last ditch effort to help convince them to do a 180 and return to conservative principles.
If they refuse, then I'm through with them until they do turn around, and I'm willing to suffer through the consequences.
Actually, it is. It ensures that an overwhelming number of Americans will eventually have SOMETHING they can be busted for, if they become too annoying to anyone in power
"Did you really think that we want those laws to be observed?" said Dr. Ferris. "We *want* them broken. You'd better get it straight That it's not a bunch of boy scouts you're up against– then you'll know that this is not the age for beautiful gestures. We're after power and we mean it. You fellows were pikers, but we know the real trick, and you'd better get wise to it. There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What's there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted – and you create a nation of law-breakers – and then you cash in on guilt. Now that's the system, Mr. Rearden, that's the game, and once you understand it, you'll be much easier to deal with."-- Ayn Rand, _Atlas Shrugged , Ch. III, "White Blackmail"
And I have not missed it one bit.
Another bill written by corporate lobbyists and soon to be rubber stamped by their well-paid servants on Capitol Hill. Instead of trying to ban technology, how about adapting your business model to it?
When Hillary gets elected because you couldn't make free copies of music, expect us to come looking for you.
just unreal.
and here is the republican congress - for sale to the very industry, the US media in the form of the RIAA and MPAA - that hates their guts. but for enough campaign cash, they will pass whatever they want.
So you never watch DVD's on your free Linux? Or you don't think those who cracked the encryption and posted it on the internet are doing anything wrong?
Intellectual property ping!!
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