Fight to protect your rights!

Org Profile · Post by **Phade** » Mon Feb 03, 2003 4:43 pm

Hey All,

I ran across an article over at www.arstechnica.com explaining that there is some legislation called the DMCRA that will ensure some consumer rights as far as CDs and such as well as amend the infamous DMCA. The bill needs your support by contacting your representitive to get the measure put through. Here is a painless method to contact them:

http://action.eff.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=2421

If you would like your rights, tell your representative!!

Phade.

klinky · Post by **klinky** » Mon Feb 03, 2003 5:48 pm

Phade Gains +3 l33tness points for rading ArsTechnica

AKH257 · Post by **AKH257** » Mon Feb 03, 2003 7:56 pm

exactly what are these "rights"

Lord Mardar · Post by **Lord Mardar** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 2:26 am

Why?,may i ask was this posted...gawd..

dokidoki · Post by **dokidoki** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 3:14 am

Let's see... I think the owner of the site can post what he damn well pleases.

Part of the issue is copy-protected CDs. Ignoring the fact that some of the mechanisms are laughably easy to beat (ie: via black marker), they have been shown to damage CD-ROM drive mechanisms in some computers. The protection also prevents the CDs from being played in some car (or other) CD players. The bill wants copy-protected CDs to be properly labelled so consumers know that the CD will not play in some players. (though as one Slashdot post pointed out, that seems to sanction protected CDs, in a way)

Fair use rights are also an issue. Courts have held that people may "time-shift" legally. (ie: record a TV show and watch it later) However, companies want to institute digital rights management, which may put a "copy prevent" flag on digital broadcast streams, so you won't be able to record it. As the link below states, space- and format-shifting (ie: making an MP3 version or duplicate of a CD you've bought to play in your car) are also seen to be legal, but copy-protection aims to prevent that.
http://www.eff.org/IP/eff_fair_use_faq.html

As I understand it, the creation of AMVs is fair use. So this post is rather relevant.

I'd write more, but it's late.

TaranT · Post by **TaranT** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 4:28 am

On a related, but separate issue, the Library of Congress is taking comments about exemptions from the original DMCA:

U.S. Copyright Office wrote:The Copyright Office is conducting the rulemaking proceeding mandated by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which provides that the Librarian of Congress may exempt certain classes of works from the prohibition against circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works.

The purpose of this proceeding is to determine whether there are particular classes of works as to which users are, or are likely to be, adversely affected in their ability to make noninfringing uses due to the prohibition on circumvention of access controls. This page will contain links to published documents in this proceeding.

They will be taking comments until Feb. 19:
Rulemaking on Exemptions from Prohibition on Circumvention of Technological Measures that Control Access to Copyrighted Works

FirestormXIII · Post by **FirestormXIII** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 10:46 am

Letter sent. Thanks for the heads up

Lyrs · Post by **Lyrs** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 1:22 pm

Oh well...i take it that nobody here wants to learn how to use a grenade launcher or a m20 machine gun.

/end