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EFFector - Volume 22, Issue 23 - Calling All Canadians!

EFFECTOR

EFFector - Volume 22, Issue 23 - Calling All Canadians!

EFFector Vol. 22, No. 23  August 14, 2009  editor@eff.org

A Publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation
ISSN 1062-9424

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In our 515th issue:

* EFF ISSUED A REPORT ON LOCATIONAL PRIVACY LAST WEEK,
explaining how your location information is collected by
various popular electronic devices and services.  In the
report, we also argue for concrete technological
solutions that would allow you to enjoy these systems'
benefits without sacrificing privacy in your everyday
life.
http://www.eff.org/wp/locational-privacy

* CALLING ALL CANADIANS!  Last month, the Canadian
government launched public consultations on the future of
copyright.  But powerful Canadian entertainment industry
lobbyists are demanding stronger copyrights and harsher
penalties, including three strikes-style bans for
suspected file-sharing.  Now is the time to show your
support for balanced copyright laws.  Take action at
copyright expert Michal Geist's "Speak Out on Copyright"
website.  Submit your comments online before September
13, 2009.
http://www.speakoutoncopyright.ca/copyright-take-action

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EFF Updates

* EFF Defends Wikipedian's Right to the Public Domain
Does something have to be in the public domain in every
country on the planet before it can be posted to the
Internet anywhere?  That's the question raised by the legal
threats issued by the National Portrait Gallery of London
against a Wikipedian.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/07/eff-defends-wikipedi

* The Kindle Lawsuit: Protecting Readers From Future Abuses
The class action lawsuit over the deletions of 1984 could
lead to a settlement or court order -- this post presents
some of the results EFF would like to see.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/08/kindle-lawsuit-protecting-readers-future-abuses

* NPR on Google Books, Privacy and the Future of the Book
Learn about the privacy threat in the Google Books
settlement, and hear an author's perspective on why readers
should be concerned.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/08/npr-story-google-books

* Snatching Rights on the Playa
Have you read the terms and conditions accompanying your
Burning Man ticket?  You may be surprised to learn what
rights the Burning Man Organization wants to claim on your
creative works.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/08/snatching-rights-playa

* Judge Rules Against RealDVD
Yet another DVD ripper -- licensed from the DVD Copy
Control Association, no less -- loses in court.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/08/judge-rules-against-realdvd

* The UK's Surveillance Society
The latest statistics show a staggering number of demands
for communications data in the UK, showing a need for
judicial oversight, lest misuse run rampant.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/08/uks-half-million-intercepts

* Recommendations for Federal Web Privacy Policy
As the federal government reviews its policies on cookies
and other technologies, EFF continues to urge specific
protections: limit the use of any data collected, eliminate
this data as soon as possible, and seek third-party
oversight.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/08/recommendations-federal-web-privacy-policy

* U.S. Trade Advisory Committee Needs Tech Users' Input
Congress should give American technology users more say in
international trade agreements that have broad
ramifications for digital freedom.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/08/u-s-trade-advisory-committees-need-public-interest

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miniLinks

~ The Onion: Google's New Opt-Out Privacy Protections
Good news -- the Onion reports on a new "opt out" program
for those who don't want the search giant compiling vast
amounts of their personal data.
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/google_opt_out_feature_lets_users

~ Wired: You Deleted your Cookies? Think Again.
UC Berkeley researchers found many websites making use of
Adobe Flash cookies to "re-spawn" traditional cookies that
the user had manually deleted.
http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/08/you-deleted-your-cookies-think-again/

~ A Musician's View of File Sharing Responding to a
mother's inquiry, pianist and web designer David J. Hahn
presents a nuanced view of file sharing and what it means
for an artists' career.
http://www.musicianwages.com/the-working-musician/to-a-mother-concerned-about-music-piracy-david-j-hahn

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Announcements

* Second Life Community Convention Party by Oddfellow
Studios!

Boston's Oddfellow Studios is bringing their improvised
psychedelic multimedia show to San Francisco's Westin St.
Francis Hotel on Friday, August 14, with three Goa/trance
DJs spinning tunes from 8pm until after midnight as part of
the Second Life Community Convention.

The graphics will trip you out, and the tunes will spin you
up -- but for those who want to geek out, there will be a
chance to peek "behind the curtain" at the graphics
production of on-the-fly improvisation from four computers
producing graphical jazz using Second Life.

All ticket proceeds benefit the nonprofit The Future United
and the Second Life Community Convention.  Cash bar.

For ticket information and more:
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/4223707

For more about the show:
http://oddfellowstudios.com/media.html

* Help EFF Go to Ohio LinuxFest!

EFF is looking for donations of airline tickets and hotel
points for Ohio LinuxFest in Columbus, as well as other
conferences and speaking engagements.  If you have enough
airline miles for a free ticket and would like to send an
EFF staffer to a conference, let us know, and we will help
you with the process of making the reservation.  Please
note that at this time we are unable to combine miles from
multiple individuals.  We are also looking for hotel
rewards points to help reduce our overall travel costs.

As a thanks for your donation, we can offer a free
membership and a mention in EFFector (if you'd like).
Please contact aaron@eff.org if you can help!

* Help the EFF Technologists!

EFF is doing some research on the Amazon Kindle e-book
reader.  If you can donate a Kindle 2 or a Kindle DX to
EFF, please contact kindle@eff.org.

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Administrivia

EFFector is published by:
The Electronic Frontier Foundation
 http://www.eff.org/about

To support EFF:
 http://links.eff.org/emaildonate

Editor:
Richard Esguerra, Activist
 richard@eff.org

Membership & donation queries:
 membership@eff.org

General EFF, legal, policy, or online resources queries:
 information@eff.org

Back issues of EFFector are available at:
 http://www.eff.org/effector/

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