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 ...
Everyone who speaks to him comes to the same conclusion. He's definitely a shill. Look at his posting history.
You like the DMCA?
The DMCA that was written by the World Intellectual Property Organization, a section of the United Nations, of which China, Iran, and Vietnam are all members?
The DMCA, that was implemented under the careful watch of Bill Clinton?
That's what you're advocating?
Good point.
It's transparent pandering to the media companies. Coated with a veneer of anti-terrorist patriotism. Disgusting. I have long harbored the suspicion that our two-party system is really a one-party system. Very little has occurred recently to disabuse me of that notion.
Then you obviously have nothing to worry about.
The only exception I will make is if the second most conservative is close enough for my taste and has a better chance of wining..
I will be contacting my senator Coleman (MN) on this part..
on piracy no. but on fair use? that's an essential right for the consumer, the paying consumer.
What version of Linux do you use and with what program can you play WMV files? Freepmail me please, thanks!
Download Kaffeine, Kplayer or Mplayer...
Copy the Essential Codec Pack from here :http://www.mplayerhq.hu/MPlayer/releases/codecs/essential-20050412.tar.bz2
Unzip and copy to /usr/lib/win32 or /usr/lib/codecs (make these directories if they don't exist.
PS...this should also allow you to play Quicktime files.
I'd be careful recommending your foreign hacker sites from now on!
mplayer r teh hax0rz! Oh noes!
Unless I'm making a legal copy of a Sony BMG product with XCP onto my computer. Or one with MediaMax, whose danger has been well documented, and whose use was not restricted to Sony BMG. Then I have a problem, don't I?
Ignore everything else I have to say if you please, but for Pete's sake, address this, if you would. The person who uncovered Sony BMG's rootkit was in violation of the DMCA, and would face penalties if they decided to prosecute him. This legislation aims to stiffen those penalties. Therefore, the only person with the courage to come forward & let the public know of the existence of the rootkit would be subject to those stiffer penalties.
This is what you're advocating. We're supposed to assume that no rights holders would install such illegal spyware? And we're supposed to accept that it's illegal to even find the stuff?
lol!
Didn't even the Sony rootkit allow a few legal copies to be made?
When I run across a "foreign hacker site", I'll be careful. Never had a problem with Mplayer or their codec packs, or for that matter, any piece of OSS that I've ever downloaded.
Thanks for your fake concern. So, do you like the DMCA?
Oh, yeah. That more than makes up for them leaving my computer vulnerable by installing undetectable software.
/sarcasm
First you defend Planned Parenthood, then the UN authored DMCA, now the Sony rootkit. We're all getting a good idea of where your loyalties lie.
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