EFFector Vol. 19, No. 22 June, 2006
A Publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation ISSN 1062-9424
In the 383rd Issue of EFFector:
- EFF Launches New Animation - Stop Hollywood's Corruptibles!
- S1RA Update: Encouraging Signs from DC
- Line Noise talks S1RA: a new EFF Podcast
- miniLinks (8): Hilary Rosen - I Don't Like the RIAA Lawsuits
- Administrivia
effector: n, Computer Sci. A device for producing a desired change.
EFF Launches New Animation - Stop Hollywood's Corruptibles!
In 2006 the entertainment industry asked the government to
give it incredible new powers -- the broadcast flag, digital
radio restrictions, and control over all analog-to-digital
devices.
But in the future, those super powers will become the
Corruptibles, three villains that invade your home, break
your devices, and stop legitimate uses. EFF has launched a
new Flash animation today that features exclusive, breaking
news footage from the future:
http://www.eff.org/corrupt
The Corruptibles aren't real, but the powers that they
represent could be. Don't let the entertainment industry
try this at home. Find out more about the proposed laws and
write your representatives now.
http://action.eff.org/broadcastflag
http://action.eff.org/audioflag
http://action.eff.org/blockhole
You can also watch The Corruptibles on EFF's MySpace page,
Google Video, and YouTube.
http://www.myspace.com/efforg
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9160779462333863954
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-5INcUuoEs
S1RA Update: Encouraging Signs from DC
Yesterday, the House Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property simultaneously introduced and approved H.R. 5553, the Section 115 Reform Act (S1RA, aka SIRA). Although the measure still contains dangerous language that threatens fair use, Representatives Boucher (D-Va.) and Lofgren (D-Ca.) both explicitly stated at the hearing that they were aware of the problems and would work to fix them before the full Judiciary Committee acts on the bill. Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-Wi.), who runs the full committee, has also expressed a preference for a consensus draft, not one awash in the unnecessary controversy created by the dangerous language that the music publishers are trying to smuggle aboard the bill.
Here's the upshot: so far, so good. The faxes and phone calls made a difference, alerting members of Congress that the music publishers were trying to pull a fast one. If we keep the pressure up, this can hopefully be cleaned up at the full committee, resulting in a sensible, focused solution to the digital music licensing mess, rather than a vehicle that lets the music industry plant a flag on unrelated fair use turf.
It's not clear whether the full Judiciary Committee will be able to act on S1RA before the summer recess, so it's important that the members of the committee continue to hear from you. Here's the message, in a nutshell:
Digital music licensing reform is a good idea, but careful amendments are needed to ensure that if you're engaged in lawful activities, you don't need a separate copyright license for every "incidental copy" made along the way; there is no implication that those who lawfully transmit over the Internet need an additional "distribution license" from copyright owners; and nothing in the bill forces us (or technology companies) to pay additional license fees to enjoy our home taping rights.
Take action on S1RA:
http://action.eff.org/sira
Line Noise talks S1RA: a new EFF Podcast
Want to learn more about S1RA and why it's dangerous? In the second edition of EFF's Line Noise podcast, we spend a few minutes walking through the controversy with EFF Senior Staff Attorney Fred von Lohmann.
To download and subscribe to Line Noise:
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/004733.php
For EFF podcast PSAs:
http://www.eff.org/press/PSA/
miniLinks
miniLinks features noteworthy news items from around the Internet.
Hilary Rosen: I Don't Like the RIAA Lawsuits
Doesn't much like DRM these days, either.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hilary-rosen/for-the-record-for-what-_b_22177.html
Quitting Verizon
Take a moral stance, get a free month of service!
http://www.nyu.edu/classes/siva/archives/003176.html
Death by DMCA
Wendy Seltzer, Fred von Lohmann spell out the gizmos that
died.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/jun06/3673
Anti-Trust, Anti-Privacy
ACLU asks the FCC to hold the AT&T-BellSouth merger, until
the allegations of NSA data mining are investigated.
http://www.ipdemocracy.com/archives/2006/06/06/index.php#001630
Yahoo Boss Not Sure if He'd Collaborate With Nazis
Search engine executive meets Godwin's Law.
http://www.emailbattles.com/archive/battles/privacy_aadiahcdad_bi/
Inside the Battle for EU Software Patents
Florian Mueller self-publishes his take on lobbying in
Europe.
http://www.no-lobbyists-as-such.com/
Brin Says Google Compromised Principles
Can Google backtrack now?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2006/06/06/financial/f161937D58.DTL
Google Backtracks
Brin reaffirms that Google will remain in China.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/09/AR2006060900101.html
Administrivia
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Editor:
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derek@eff.org
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