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A bill in Congress legalizes cell phone unlocking and fixes the DMCA

fixthedmca.org

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Re: A bill in Congress legalizes cell phone unlocking and fixes the DMCA

#11

Post by scott_meade »

darkarmani wrote: post #10
scott_meade wrote: post #5

If someone has information that they only want certain people to see, would circumventing a technological measure that controls access to that information be allowed under this bill? For example, internal documents, trade secrets and documents under NDAs? If someone has information they only want licensed people to see, would circumventing a technological measure that controls access to that information be allowed un…

Why do you need the DMCA to protect these things?

I'm asking for clarification of the impact of this bill. Do you know the answers to those two questions off hand?

Re: A bill in Congress legalizes cell phone unlocking and fixes the DMCA

#12

Post by GhotiFish »

kmfrk wrote: post #8

Now is a good time to show that people are capable at passing legislation instead of blocking it. It's easier to enshrine rights in law than to oppose every iteration of PIPA and CISPA, every time they try to let it slip through unnoticed.

It would give me hope for America's technological future if this one can be pushed through.

Re: A bill in Congress legalizes cell phone unlocking and fixes the DMCA

#13

Post by nilsbunger »

scott_meade wrote: post #5

If someone has information that they only want certain people to see, would circumventing a technological measure that controls access to that information be allowed under this bill? For example, internal documents, trade secrets and documents under NDAs? If someone has information they only want licensed people to see, would circumventing a technological measure that controls access to that information be allowed un…

That is a fascinating question. Just like breaking into a network is illegal, you want something that applies at a document-level.

It's not actually a copyright issue. Whether the DMCA (or something else) covers it, I don't know but would love to hear.

Re: A bill in Congress legalizes cell phone unlocking and fixes the DMCA

#14

Post by Zigurd »

scott_meade wrote: post #11
darkarmani wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you need the DMCA to protect these things?

I'm asking for clarification of the impact of this bill. Do you know the answers to those two questions off hand?

Why would you expose such information in a way that it is protected only by a mechanism that the public has access to? It seems like you are asking if fixing the DMCA would remove protection for irresponsible behavior.

Re: A bill in Congress legalizes cell phone unlocking and fixes the DMCA

#16

Post by rhizome »

ebbv wrote: post #15

This legislation doesn't entirely fix the DMCA. It fixes some problems but more remain. Copyright is some seriously fucked up shit right now. It has been dominated by big money interests for the last 50 years.

There is a hidden agenda in saying that this "fixes the DMCA." It has a morass of serious issues untouched by these modifications.

Re: A bill in Congress legalizes cell phone unlocking and fixes the DMCA

#18

Post by pyre »

Zigurd wrote: post #14
scott_meade wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm asking for clarification of the impact of this bill. Do you know the answers to those two questions off hand?

Why would you expose such information in a way that it is protected only by a mechanism that the public has access to? It seems like you are asking if fixing the DMCA would remove protection for irresponsible behavior.

IIRC, the DMCA makes it a criminal act, whereas otherwise it might only be governed by civil law. If I'm contractually obligated to only read a stock market report myself, but I show it to a friend, do I deserve jail time, or just to get sued?

Re: A bill in Congress legalizes cell phone unlocking and fixes the DMCA

#19

Post by sachinag »

rosser wrote: post #4

If you want this to pass, don't sign the petition, and don't email or write your congresscritter. Call them . Interact with a human being in their office. Anecdotally, that has a much greater impact. (Source: my cousin and his wife were congressional staffers for several years.)

The reason this is, BTW, is that calling isn't scalable. Any idiot can fire off emails or print petitions or print and mail letters (albeit with a budget). Fielding calls is a huge pain in the ass and can be linked - via area code+prefix, among others - to a specific district.
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