EFF Seeks Wise Words And Party Goers 35
liquide writes "The DMCA affects every American, indeed, every human on the planet. The problem is that the average person doesn't realize this. EFF wants the input of our supporters to come up with slogans that will raise the mainstream consciousness to the destructive effects of the DMCA and inspire us all to continue the fight for free expression. Put on your thinking caps, summon the creative muse and submit ideas for slogans and 'soundbytes' to help us fight the DMCA. If your idea is chosen, you will win your choice of vintage EFF T-shirts. Send your entry to slogan@eff.org. Thanks for your help." And Seth Schoen writes: "The EFF, Linux Journal, and Free Dmitry activists are pleased to present a combination going-away and birthday party for Dmitry Sklyarov. (According to Reuters, today is Dmitry's 27th birthday.) The party is Wednesday evening in San Francisco.
(LJ article, Craigslist post.)"
Quickie Caption (Score:3, Funny)
Deadliest
Machine of
Corporate
America
Hey, so I drunk too much coffee today!
Re:Quickie Caption (Score:1)
Re:Quickie Caption (Score:4, Funny)
Media
Convenience for
Americans
Re:Quickie Caption (Score:1)
Fighting for your rights and freedoms from the last century into the next.
Re:Quickie Caption (Score:1)
Happy birthday to Sklyarov! (Score:1)
I wish him, and his employer (who stood by him through all this, what US company does that these days...) a happy new year and the best of luck in their future plans.
Maybe as american citizens we should see what we can do to prevent this kind of tragic miscarrige of justice from happening again, I for one am ashamed that I was not more vocal and active over the past few years while the ground-work for these flawed laws and regulations was laid. Time for me to check out what I can do for the EFF.
Great Artists Peep Show (Score:5, Interesting)
A beautiful closeup of the Mona Lisa. Then a loud clang is heard as a steel shutter closes down over the scene.
The next is the opening page from a Tale of Two Cities (or some other text that the general public might get if they only read the first few words). Then another loud clang as another steel shutter blocks the view.
The camera pulls back to show a row of people standing/sitting at peep show booths. They are furiously pumping in coins to see more of a work of art or the next page in a book.
Just a quick seed of an idea for how the DMCA lets an artist/publish control how the content can be viewed (Region coding, protective encryption,etc). It's just a worst case scenario that all content will become one, giant peep show for consumers.
Re:Great Artists Peep Show (Score:2)
Show a couple at a quiet, candle lit dinner for two at home. There's some romantic music playing in the background. They get up and get to work on something more entertaining when the music stops and starts demanding that you insert another 50 cents to continue playing, thus totally destroying the mood. Or it claims they forgot to pay their 'Music Bill' for that month, which is more like what is actually going on.
Or a Superbowl Sunday, crowd of guys watching it, beginning to froth at the mouth at the last 30 seconds. At which point the TV switches to a test signal and demands that you feed it more quarters and you see the guys franticly trying to get their wallets out.
Re:Great Artists Peep Show (Score:2)
Re:Great Artists Peep Show (Score:2)
That's what you think.
OK, maybe that's true in the case of the Mona Lisa et al, but did you know that in most countries (it's true in Australia, possibly the US too) you must obtain authority of the publisher to perform basically anything written for the stage longer than 20 minutes long, regardless of when it was written, when copyright on the specific printed edition has not expired?
So if you want to perform an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach, you have to get permission and most likely pay royalties, even though J.S. Bach died in 1750, unless you can find a score which is over 70 years old. (Thanks to Sonny Bono et al, that would be 90 years in the US, if US law operates under the same rules for exercising the grand right.)
This has been true for years, BTW. Ask your local school music teacher about copyright some time.
Re:Great Artists Peep Show (Score:1)
Re:Great Artists Peep Show (Score:1)
Obviously I'm not yelling at you, your point is true but we do need a bit of exageration and certinaly to point out theres.
Re:Great Artists Peep Show (Score:1)
Imagine... (Score:3, Insightful)
Not slogans, but examples (Score:5, Interesting)
----------
Hi...this isn't really a slogan, per se, but some notes I put together for a "call to arms" that I never was able to finish. The big thing I was trying to accomplish was to point out the things that *could* be possible, and legal, and un-circumventable, if SSSCA were passed or if DMCA were to remain unchallenged and unchanged.
The thrust of it was:
"Well, that sounds bad, but it'll never affect me, anyway."
Oh yeah? Have you ever:
And if you try to get around any of these restrctions, you're subject to imprisonment and/or a fine of up to a half million dollars. If you even *think* about how to get around these restrictions (and discuss it in a public forum), you could be subject to imprisonment and/or fines.
[most of these things are typical, real-world uses of technology that people take for granted and could lose with further format changes (protected by DMCA) or technology restrictions (mandated by SSSCA).] I then wanted to highlight the fact that many of the "unthinkable" things are already happening, in one way or another:
And, lest people believe that "well, they'd never do *that*," here are some things that the big corporations are already doing:
Hopefully, these examples will help inspire new ones, and maybe quick-n-easy things that can be used in an interview or in a mailing.
Re:Not slogans, but examples (Score:4, Interesting)
It's even worse than this.
People think that even if "they" do do that, it will not be to *them*, but to someone who "deserves" it. The problem here is that people accept the law as a blunt instrument to be wielded when an appropriately fine one is not available (because the particular circumstance was excempt under the more specific law) -- can't have criminals going free on technicalities, can we?
I suspect that a more effective, though certainly more radical, campaign, would be to ask, "If you don't think they would do this, but do think it would be wrong if they tried to do it to you or me, would you think it wrong if I used whatever force is necessary, including killing them, to stop them?"
Place it in concrete terms: "Do you think it's acceptable, if regrettable, to kill someone who refuses to stop stealing your stuff, if they're armed and threatening? Is a copy you made for later viewing, yours, or not? If someone tried to kidnap you for simply making the copy would you not resist with all your might?"
Clearly, if someone thinks that a law is absurd, unconstitutional, and would not be applied in practice, they should not reject the notion of fighting it if it is applied (yeah, we know it is "when" and not "if"). Anyone who objects over illegal resistance (and let's be clear: we're talking about killing police who try to arrest you for telling someone how to timeshift a movie -- this either gets you "off", for defending your constitutional rights, or fried in the electric chair), should be pointed to the Constitution (in the U.S.A., anyway): you are acting legally -- they are the criminals here.
I suspect that most people accept blunt law because it allows the "legal" arrest of miscreants that would otherwise skate on the thin edge of legality and still do stuff most would disaprove of. "They" know this... that's why they file charges against "hackers", but back off when dealing with "respectible" university professors (i.e. Felten).
The danger of threating deadly force, even in defense, is that it makes one appear unstable, and more in the catagory of "undesirable". And I am not advocating that one do this unless they are quite prepared to live with the consequences. Many would advocate a passive approach, but I am not one to martyr myself (timeshift the movie and willingly let myself be arrested). At some point, if you're not willing to use force to defend your rights, others will use force to take them away.
I suspect that a two-pronged approach, with numbers of passive "victims" mounting and the odd sensational skirmish is what it will take to reverse this frightning trend.
Of course, any such forceful approach, without the backing of law or decree means that you are interpreting the law yourself: you are a vigilante. How that is perceived depends largly on timing: with large numbers of martyred time-shifters rotting in jail, this might be an acceptable tactic. I raise the possibility now, and not when we are seeing widespread arrests because, like any forceful tactic, it has to be thought out very carefully in advance so as to have the greatest liklihood of apparent legitimacy when it is employed.
How about... (Score:2)
It's a one-line formula; quite catchy, really....
Well, for a slightly different take... (Score:2)
'cept I don't think there are many people that believe in it enough not to buy the LoTR DVD.
Hey, now THERE's an idea--maybe we as geeks (which might be enough of a market segment (for LoTR) to be paid attention to) start a campaign to ask whoever is going to put out the DVD not to put any of these annoying "we have decided that every time you put this in you will watch the following" sections. And if they don't comply, don't buy it.
Or would that be too much like standing up for what we believe in instead of just ranting about it?
hardly any comments? (Score:2)
Re:hardly any comments? (Score:2)
Re:hardly any comments? (Score:2)
The congress shall have the power... (Score:2, Interesting)
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for
limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their
respective Writings and Discoveries.
Afterall what part of 'Limited Times' does 'forever' fall under.
and what part of 'to Authors' does 'Recording industry cartel' fall under.
Just submitted that... What better source than the constitution... Wait isn't it illegal to redistribute the constitution under the DMCA?
It is if they include it on a DVD and I'm sure that one of the 10,000 movies on DVD has a reference or a shot of the constitution.
Short, Quick Slogan... (Score:2)
Think you own that CD you bought? Think again, thanks to the DMCA.
For Sale (Score:1)
Much as I hate to urinate on a parade... (Score:1)
First they came for ... Rev Martin Niemoller, (Score:3, Informative)
http://serendipity.magnet.ch/cda/niemoll.html
http://www.hoboes.com/html/FireBlade/Politics/n
---
First they came for the Crackers,
I didn't speak out,
I wasn't a Cracker,
Next they came for the Hackers
I didn't speak out,
I wasn't a Hacker ,
Next they came for
---
Rev. Martin Niemoller, jailed for Preacher free speech, Germany 1937.
Dmitry Sklyarov, jailed for Preacher free speech, USA 2001.
OT: Aussie org'n BANS NOTE-TAKING for posting (Score:1)
benefit of any Australian repr's of EFF,
who may be in a position to assess, ad-
vise and/or assist:
---
A volunteer member of a South Australian
organisation - operated by the SA Gov't,
under an Act of Parliament - has recently
been BANNED from note-taking at the
organisation's regular monthly meetings;
such meetings are open to all members.
Background:
1. in the course of regular training (not
conducted on meeting nights) the member
was given a 2-page procedure document
2. the member produced a new procedure docu-
ment from the given one, intended to be
an improvement on the original, adding
additional information that he had come
by, from various other contacts with
the organisation
The format of the resulting document was
changed (e.g. by grouping its sequence of
steps, use of multiple columns, highlight-
ing & larger fonts)
Thus, the orginal 2-page document now fit
on one side of a single page and was easier
(to the member, for one) to understand and
carry out.
2. the member handed copies of the improved
version of the document to the organisa-
tion's admin officer & head, & asked each
for their feedback on its correctness;
no feedback was offered
3. the member uploaded the document to a
Yahoo eGroup, whose purpose is described
as follows:
"This email list is for members of the
[larger organisation's name]. It should
be thought of as an informal place to
meet, chat and throw ideas around.
The list can be used to discuss any-
thing to do with the [organisation's-
name-acronym] or the way it operates,
topics might include; Equipment,
Training, [callouts], Funding,
Communications, [vehicles], [facility]
designs, Standard Operating Procedures
etc, etc.
A file area has been set up at [URL]
to save any files."
4. the member uploaded an edited version
of his improved document (i.e. all tel.
numbers removed), and invited feedback
from the eGroup's members
5. the member moved on to other matters,
e.g. training, projects & other work
of the organisation
6. in December, months after the uploading
took place, the member was told to re-
move the uploaded file from the eGroup
7. the member took steps to have the
uploaded file removed
8. the file -was- removed; thus, the
instruction was carried out in both
letter & spirit (within 3-4 days of
the "remove" instruction being given
to the member)
9. before the start of the next regular
monthly meeting of the organisation,
the member was told not to take notes
during such meetings
10. the member asked that this apparently
undemocratic instruction be put to a
vote by those attending the meeting
11. in a flurry of activity (with the offi-
cer, who had given the inital instruc-
tions present, and his father presiding
over the meeting), a motion was moved,
seconded & carried by the meeting:
"[member's-name] to refrain from
taking notes during [organisation-
name] meetings and to not publish
information discussed"
12. a (preliminary, hand written) hard copy
of the above motion was received by the
member (at his request) from the admin
officer of the organisation
A formal minutes document is expected
shortly (i.e. with the motion to be
more clearly listed).
The member would welcome the advice of those
in the know, in Australia, who may be in a
position to suggest negotiating strategies
and/or (if required) legal recourse, by way
of removing this untenable restriction on
participation at meetings and/or sending a
clear message vis a vis what may be rightly
considered to be the rights of members to
participate in organisational life and, to
the extent that they may desire, meet with
other members - whether in a pub or online
- to discuss matters of interest to them,
without undue restraint.
Advice, in this matter - or leads to it -
may be sent to: jwf@sdf.lonestar.org
TIA
-jj
---
OK, folks, see if you can advise...
Ads on Regional Restrictions (Score:1)
on holiday overseas, is asked to con-
sult on a very seriously ill patient,
in a nearby medical centre.
Needing some small, but important, details
from the CD-ROM-based medical reference
that he carries for such eventualities,
he takes it to a local player... but
-WHAMMO-
out-of-region media...
The deceased patient's sobbing relatives,
are seen at bedside, while a voice-over
decries the craziness of region-specific
technologies.
--- Too bizarre? OK, so try this one:
A family is shown in their game room...
Now, this particular family has (e.g.
adopted) kids from many part of the
world... i.e. different media regions
One player... lotsa media (from friends
& family around the world)... but only
the -local- region's media play...
A combination of heartfelt sadness and
expressed anger at whoever caused this
whimsical anti-climax, followed by one
of those "How would you like it if..."
voice overs...
--- Possibly real (someday):
An international aid agency send some
media to one of their innovative edu-
cational programs.
As the students crowd around the only
computer in the school, for a look at
the newly installed educational ter-
minal, it is realised that the media
won't play in the -local- region's
player...
---
Take your pick!
Civil Dosibedience (slightly off topic) (Score:2)
With copyrights it's not only easy, but is relatively low risk and does not require any violence at all. And I would argue that it doesn't even wrong creators and artists, it's not like it's plagiarism or that market share is some kind of moral right, or that copyrights even benefit artists more than publishers and distributors.
And when they throw the book at people who make coppies, it's likely to generate more and more backlash. I really think we should attack copyrights haed on, instead of the DMCA, because this is where the root of the problem is. As long as you have copyrights people are going to try to extend and secure them, hence the DMCA.