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"Super-DMCA" Bills In Tennessee and Arkansas
Posted by
timothy
on Mon Apr 21, 2003 01:48 PM
from the vote-with-your-paddles dept.
from the vote-with-your-paddles dept.
David Turner writes "Tomorrow, Tennessee's Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing
on two nearly identical DMCA-like bills. These bills threaten
personal privacy, anonymity, and security research. SB
213 and HB457
are similar to state laws
introduced all over the country by the MPAA. Despite amendments, the bills still threaten digital freedom. Last
month, twenty people showed up at the Massachusetts public
hearing, and effectively opposed the one MPAA lobbyist. If you attend, speak from notes rather than simply reading a statement (but you
may be able to submit written testimony). Please come to Legislative
Plaza in Nashville, rooms 12 and 14 at 3:30pm." And Kraken137 writes "The House and Senate of the Arkansas state legislature have passed the MPAA's "Super-DMCA" Bill, and it is now sitting on the Governor's desk awaiting his signature. It's not too late to convince him to veto this bill! Arkansas residents are urged to contact the Governor's office to express their opposition to this violation of rights. The ever-vigilant EFF has a page where residents can send a fax to Governor Huckabee's office to let their voices be heard. Remember, paper and phone calls make more of a difference than emails!"
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Good Luck (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Good Luck (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
You have a chance in TN. (Score:5, Informative)
Actually, I am a member in good standing of the media in TN. I am a avid slashdotter, and apparently my plate has been too full to see this one coming down the street. Terribly sorry for the gaff, but here is some TN advice.
SO here is what I would suggest to people, as I know Phil Bredesen (the Gov), and interview him about once a week or more...
Pick a spokesman for the
He is a nerd. Harvard math. Grad school stuff. He likes computers. I kid you not. He will get technical with you in a second about a number of subjects (he one day asked what Kelvin the color temperature my camera was getting in the shade). It is actually refreshing to meet a man that is the governor that is also smart enough to look up to. This is a man that got elected on the "TN is not thinking smart about its finances, and I know finances" platform. He should know. He is a self-made millionaire, so he doesn't worry about re-election money or owing anyone anything. He's already got money. He even turned down his salary because of budget problems. I don't like politicians because I see them up close, but I actually like this guy.
So, if you can, make a very detailed, very compelling argument to him FROM HIS CONSTITUENTS and send it off. If he gets it I guarantee it will not pass over his head... few things do. I would help, but I work for the local news, and well, my microphone is pointing at him too often to get involved.
Personally, I think that Phil Bredesen is your best shot on shooting this down in TN. The TN House and Senate are the most political animals on the planet (truly "Old Southern Politics" at work) so there is no hope there with the lobbyists around.
Good luck guys.
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Write your senator (Score:5, Insightful)
EFF page for TN action as well (Score:5, Informative)
[eff.org]
http://action.eff.org/action/index.asp?step=2&i
Re:EFF page for TN action as well (Score:5, Informative)
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Re:EFF page for TN action as well (Score:4, Insightful)
For crying out loud people, leave you homes and SHOW them how many people care.
Do you really think it will matter? Ok, so a bunch of people show up, and facing a modicum of public opposition they don't act on the bill.
...until 9 months from now when people lose interest in it, the lobbyists make their wishes known, and the bill gets tacked on as a rider to some unrelated (but much easier to pass) piece of legislation, signed by the governor, and becomes law. The end.
I don't think you realize how little control you have over your government. It's all money, all the time. In cases where public interest collides with money, the public interest will lose every single time. And if they can't get it the first time, they'll get it the second.
Your voice doesn't matter.
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Re:EFF page for TN action as well (Score:5, Insightful)
Why not do away with entertainment purchases for a year to see how much of an impact we can make? Are we too addicted to their drug to do this?
Because for this to have any effect whatsoever it would have to be done by a significant percentage of the population. How will you be able to spread the word about this boycott? Do you think you could ever get more than a modicum of people to join in? Man, hell no! "Law & Order" is on tonight!
Think about this: There hasn't been an effective consumer boycotts since the 1980's. Even the religious right has given up on product boycotts. Why do you think that is? And do you think you could fight the backlash of propaganda from the media were this to ever even to show the smallest signs of gaining traction?
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Faxes (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Faxes (Score:5, Funny)
Actually that'd get the point across. "Why is this ink so expensive? The DMCA prevents companies from providing cheap alternative ink cartridges. You idiot! It was only supposed to work in our price gouging policies."
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Better ways of convincing political figures (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Better ways of convincing political figures (Score:5, Insightful)
We are the customer, in the end we hold all the power. True - they may have to beat some of us back with a stick to keep us from buying their product eventually. But right now their primary task is looking around for a bigger stick to beat the customer with. Eventually, we'll just say "ouch" and walk away.
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What I want to know ... (Score:5, Funny)
We need some kind of tracking website... (Score:5, Insightful)
Someone (not me, I have things [freenetproject.org] to do) needs to set up a website tracking this type of event, which allows people to enter their zipcodes and email addresses to be alerted when a lobbying opportunity arises in their area. I would be the first to sign up for Southern California.
If you feel you are up to the task - email me at ian[@]locut.us and I will do what I can to help, within the time contraints of my other projects.
Re:We need some kind of tracking website... (Score:5, Informative)
good thing there already are things like this in place:
http://capwiz.com/afr/home/ [capwiz.com]
i've found it really handy, so far. nice record of how my reps and senators voted.
Parent
Dont Do it!! (Score:5, Funny)
Just sit back and take it easy.. writing letters is hard. Hey! whats on TV? could be you're missing a reeeealy good show! Nothing more to see here, move along..
This post has been sponsored by the **ia, this space for rent.
I live in Arkansas (Score:4, Insightful)
are to busy lining their pockets. Hucklebarry has cut budgets to about every social service in arkansas other than medicaid and food stamps. He will no doubt get a nice contribution from one of the labels for signing it.
I faxed Huckabee... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:I faxed Huckabee... (Score:5, Interesting)
Which is sad, because in theory, they have no voting rights as a corporation. How can the people who demand the freedom to do what we want with the things we own be overpowered by a band of theives which should theoretically have no political power?
Simple... Good old classic bribery through the "good buddy" system, you scratch my back, I scratch yours, etc...
Why do we put up with this and just let it happen? Especially when we are the ones who lose in the deal?
They won't be satisfied until they can pass legislation to make it illegal to even open the case on your computer, DVD player, television, VCR, Tivo box, etc. And even after that they'll be looking into ways to force people to wear a device which prevents them from perceiving any audio/visual signals which are not authorized by their organizations.
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Blame it on the "noisy" ex-presidents (Score:4, Insightful)
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Re:I faxed Huckabee... (Score:5, Insightful)
What's to stop the corrupt company in question (read RIAA / MPAA) to simply find a company rep in the proper riding and "decide" to give him a salary of $5 million a year. Perhaps that registered voter might "decide" to contribute $4.9 million to the candidate they wish to buy... er... support.
I think it would be a little better to simply cap contributions at $20,000 a year per political party or representitave.
Or just ban it outright - while you're in office, you get your paycheck from the government - anything else gets you jail time.
N.
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Re:I faxed Huckabee... (Score:5, Interesting)
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Governor Huckabee (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Governor Huckabee (Score:5, Insightful)
Talking To Americans [tvguidelive.com]
I mean if the guy is stupid enough to say that, he is stupid enough to sign this bill, so WRITE, PHONE, GO DOWN IN PERSON to this guy and STOP HIM!
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Re:Governor Huckabee (Score:5, Funny)
I read an interview with Rick Mercer about this, and it's one of the funniest things I've ever read.. the story behind the whole thing is funnier than what you saw on TV..
Rick and the crew were outside the Arkansas legislature building, getting the typical "man on the street" responses, when someone from the Governor's office comes out and asks where the're from... Rick gives them the "we're from CBC television getting reaction from the people of Arkansas, blah, blah (he notes that nobody questions why Canadians would want to know the opinion of someone from Arkansas).. they immediately get hustled into the Governor's office, where they get an interview with Mike Huckabee.. he said he was sweating bullets, because he knew that anyone could just open up an internet connection and see that the House of Commons is not an igloo, but nobody ever did..
Then, just before the interview, Huckabee says he wants a private chat with Mercer, and pulls him aside.. at this point, Rick is thinking "damn, we've been made.." but Huckabee just says to him: "This here igloo, it's not controversial in any way is it? Because it wouldn't look right for me to be making a comment about something that's controversial to Canada." Rick assures him that no sir, there is nothing controversial about it at all..
They get their interview, and as Rick put it "got the hell outta Dodge, before anyone wised up."
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The horses are already out of the barn... (Score:5, Interesting)
I heard nothing about it at the time, of course, and so it's a bit too late to do anything abou it. Sure, you can try to get a law repealed, but it's significantly more difficult to get a law off the books than it is to keep it off in the first place.
Democratizing factor of the internet... (Score:5, Interesting)
It's time to really do something, people... (Score:5, Informative)
This DMCA stuff is serious. Together with the USA PATRIOT act, we are *seriously* look at an Orwellian future, people.
It's really time to do something, no more procrastinating.
If you can't go out and do something in person, then at least make a donation to the EFF [eff.org] and the ACLU [aclu.org]. They both even have a monthly recurring system where you can have a small charge made to your credit card every month. A monthly contriubtion will make you feel a lot less guilty when going to the movie theater or blockbuster.
Please don't let this pass you by. The ??AA lobbyists are subverting our freedoms to tell us what we are allowed to do with the things we already own!
It's ridiculous that corporations have more political power than the people who actually elect our officials. Can we not read the bribery between the lines? This is offensive on so many levels...
It's time to act, people. How do you want your future to be determined -- by youself or by a corporation?
Re:It's time to really do something, people... (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
Re:It's time to really do something, people... (Score:5, Interesting)
Agreed.
The only two I have found which are large enough to put a dent in the lobbyists's progress is the EFF and ALCU. If anyone knows of any others, I'd be glad to check them out.
Since the only thing our politicians will listen to is lobbyists, we need to form powerful lobbyists groups of our own to protect our interests. The only way we can grant these groups power is to donate our time and/or money to their cause. Since we are far less organized than the ??AA's, so we need all the help we can get.
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Re:It's time to really do something, people... (Score:5, Interesting)
Since the only thing our politicians will listen to is lobbyists, we need to form powerful lobbyists groups of our own to protect our interests.
More specifically, they listen to lobbyists with money. If you can help legislator X to get reelected by contributing to his campaign funds, you will have that legislator's ear. If you are merely operating from ideology but can do nothing to help that legislator win the next election, you may get lucky and be able to have lunch with him or her, but you will not have any long term effect.
The day of effective public advocacy groups is over. Nader is a laughing-stock, the ACLU is loathed by many members of the judiciary and much of the public, the EFF has been almost completely ineffective, and the American public is content with whatever legislative travesty the President advocates, so long as it is in the name of national security and supported by Republicans.
Corporate lobbyists control the legislative process. You, unfortunately, have no impact on this process. Your precious vote is worthless.
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Why is everyone surprised about this legislation (Score:5, Insightful)
What You Can't Do (Score:5, Insightful)
This would make it illegal for me to use fake referrer IDs (which I sometimes use) on my web browser. This would forbid me to share the DSL connection I share with my father's computer- why would ISPs ever want to allow shared connections? This would forbid me from burning my own music to CD, meaning the music that I myself composed.
The way it's worded actually outlaws power-line networking! While I don't really see that as a bad thing- people picking up on that will oppose the bill, and I think power-line networking is a Really Bad Idea(TM), it's more devious than that- with the "express consent required," you would have to get written consent from the companies in question whenever you want to plug something in to a wall outlet if power-line networking occurs.
This is a truly horrid, debilitating law- which I have every intention to flagrantly violate if I get a chance- start a company that specializes in making nothing but those things, use resources that law would forbid...
The "must get permission" thing is the part that scares me the most.
Summation of Super DMCA (Score:5, Informative)
These bills are REALLY stupid (Score:5, Insightful)
In other words... (Score:5, Interesting)
27829379428734982379487239847293847923487293487
488794879872082407187409167
987238471287491387492874827493874365873658
327647234729384727394823794823747234923
is illegal and will be prosecuted by the full extent.
Because this number just happens to be a Britney song encoded in Radix-50 MPEG-4 format.
If you got this number in your calculations, you MUST
stop now and erase it as soon as possible.
It's a shame (Score:5, Insightful)
No way would most people skip out on Matrix 2! Can you imagine, not forking over $8 to the MPAA to see a movie?!
Forget freedom, what's on TV?
Go out and win a few battles (Score:5, Interesting)
It would send a more powerful message if politicians faced recall votes over issues like these. I don't see that happening though.
I'm sorry, but... (Score:4, Funny)
I'm sure he'll send Deputy Dawg around to rustle up the perpetrators.
H.R. 107 (Score:5, Interesting)
********
Thank you for contacting my office regarding H.R. 107, the Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act (DMCRA). With changes in how consumers access copyrighted material, I agree that we must reexamine the application of our copyright laws.
As a member of the Intellectual Property Subcommittee, I will have the opportunity to work closely on this issue and agree that we must create a balance between protecting the artist's work and providing access for consumers. While copyright law should protect the property rights of the creators of a work, we must also ensure that consumers of those works have fair access to the material. Just as radio changed the way copyright law applied to music, the development of the Internet, peer-to-peer networks and digital copies are changing the applicatio of copyright law.
One way to address the imbalance is H.R. 107, which requires the producer of a work to properly label what the limits of how their materials may be used or accessed. In addition, the bill ensures that consumers have a fair use right to circumvent any new copyright protections. As this legislation is considerd in the Intellectual Property Subcommittee, I will be sure to keep your view in mind.
Again, thank you for contacting me and, if I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my office.
Very truly yours,
Melissa Hart
Member of Congress
************
Re:H.R. 107 (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
Make Note (Score:4, Insightful)
If you read Slashdot, then more than likely you have above average interest and knowledge about computers and technology.
For political expediency, I'll just identify you as Knowledge Workers of the Third Millenium (rather than karma whores, trolls, etc.)
If ever in the future you might consider starting your own technology-related business, or already own a technology-related business, then you can start to increase your employee morale, productivity and unfettered creativity by choosing a place to base your business that does not place draconian measures on the free flow of information for the sake of vested special interest groups saying words like "piracy" and "patriotism".
A trickle of feedback like this to a few chambers of commerce in the right states would do wonders in stemming the tide of such ill-thought legislation. Just about every state in the USA and every locality everywhere wants to become the next Silicon Valley. If you let them know, as the kind of person that makes up what makes Silicon Valley represents, that Tennesse (or wherever) is condemning itself to becoming a repressive backwater by adopting the same kind of legislation that has done so much to help the information economies
What does this mean for the average user? (Score:4, Funny)
No they don't (Score:5, Informative)
Having worked in the US Congress as a Legislative Correspondent, I can confidently say, huh uh! We physically counted phone calls, letters, faxes and emails completely equally with no regard to their type, as did every other congressional office that I was familiar with. The only thing that made one correspondence count and another not is if one was not from a constituent address.
A Humble Arkansan's Input . . . (Score:5, Interesting)
Being a concerned Arkansas citizen, I contacted the representative who I consider to be the chief co-sponsor of House Bill 2361, the Arkansas 'Super-DCMA' bill that currently before the Governor's desk. He was kind enough to respond in brief although he is not my representative and with the end of this regular session (the second longest in Arkansas' history) must tend to more pressing matters. The summary of the email is an agreement to discuss the bill with me in greater detail soon (I trust him). He also made this one brief comment:
If anyone cares to hear the specifics of my future interview, I'll post it on my web site after the interview is held. Granted, the point is rather moot since the bill passed both houses.
Comments on Faxing / Contacting the AR Governor (Score:5, Informative)
I first learned of this phenomina when I lived in Northern Virginia and became friends with a Legislative Assistant of a prominent US Senator. He commented that the US Senators always, always, always ignore any communication not sent by a consitutent. He said, "that's why they have their own Senators."
So, if you're not from Arkansas, don't expect to be heard by our Governor.
User Friendly (Score:4, Funny)
It's fun to violate D.M.C.A. [userfriendly.org]
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Re:How does this legislation get proposed everywhe (Score:5, Informative)
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Re:At least this won't stifle innovation. (Score:4, Insightful)
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campaign spending limit (Score:5, Informative)
This may sound like a restriction to free speech... Yet if you think of it, the only way those people could have that much money was not from contributions from citizens,but using slush funds and corporate donations. Corporations have no right to free speech!
(Interesting note: membership fees for political parties are partly tax-deductible, but the receipts don't bear the name of the party so that the tax service doesn't see who you vote for. Of course, it is pretty useless since the membership fees for all major parties are known, it's just a matter of looking the price up!)
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