Software Freedom Conservancy: Microsoft Should Resign from RIAA Over Youtube-DL Takedown Demand (sfconservancy.org) 48
"We believe that youtube-dl has substantial non-infringing uses," argues the non-profit Software Freedom Conservancy. But while that software faces a DMCA takedown notice from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), GitHub's owner Microsoft is also a paying member of the RIAA.
The Software Freedom Conservancy argues that this leaves Microsoft "stuck between their industry association's abuses of the law and the needs of FOSS projects for which they provide infrastructure." While under current law (which we object to), complying with the takedown notice is admittedly the fastest way to limit Microsoft's liability, we view Microsoft's membership in the RIAA as a much bigger liability to our community, now that Microsoft controls GitHub. We call on Microsoft to resign from the RIAA and remove their conflict of interest in this matter.
This is an important opportunity for Microsoft to stand up for the values of software freedom...
To build a strong community of FOSS developers, we need confidence that our software hosting platforms will fight for our rights. While we'd prefer that Microsoft would simply refuse to kowtow to institutions like the RIAA and reject their DMCA requests, we believe in the alternative Microsoft can take the easy first step of resigning from RIAA in protest. We similarly call on all RIAA members who value FOSS to also resign.
The Software Freedom Conservancy argues that this leaves Microsoft "stuck between their industry association's abuses of the law and the needs of FOSS projects for which they provide infrastructure." While under current law (which we object to), complying with the takedown notice is admittedly the fastest way to limit Microsoft's liability, we view Microsoft's membership in the RIAA as a much bigger liability to our community, now that Microsoft controls GitHub. We call on Microsoft to resign from the RIAA and remove their conflict of interest in this matter.
This is an important opportunity for Microsoft to stand up for the values of software freedom...
To build a strong community of FOSS developers, we need confidence that our software hosting platforms will fight for our rights. While we'd prefer that Microsoft would simply refuse to kowtow to institutions like the RIAA and reject their DMCA requests, we believe in the alternative Microsoft can take the easy first step of resigning from RIAA in protest. We similarly call on all RIAA members who value FOSS to also resign.
Yeah that's not gonna happen... (Score:2)
Microsoft's not gonna shit where they eat.
Why is Microsoft even part of the RIAA?? (Score:1)
Since when does Microsoft record songs? Why are they even a member of the RIAA? Did Microsoft join the RIAA just because Microsoft loves lawyers and wishes to promote thuggery?
Time to cancel Microsoft.
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Since when does Microsoft record songs?
They don't. They sell and stream them.
Re: Why is Microsoft even part of the RIAA?? (Score:2)
Why is Microsoft a member of the RIAA? Codecs. Media file formats. The chance to influence them as well as implementing them.
As for github, what did you expect? Even if it were a different owner, github would have removed the software until the legal question is cleared up. This is no different than Linux distros removing encumbered codecs from distros in jurisdictions where patents don't allow for free distribution without a license.
Call it githubris
As for the Software Freedom Conservancy, who care
Microsoft won't help OSS (Score:3, Insightful)
"This is an important opportunity for Microsoft to stand up for the values of software freedom..."
Why is this software freedom conservancy group expecting Microsoft to act against their fundamental nature? Are they idiots?
Re: Microsoft won't help OSS (Score:5, Interesting)
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It's just a hub of gits calling the shots there. It's right in the name!
What were you expecting? (Score:5, Informative)
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github had become beholden to MS's interests
Maybe so, but the takedown isn't one of them.
I can DCMA your github repo, or anywhere else you've posted anything, and the site will take it down. They have to, otherwise they're liable for everything else people post. (230)
Now the TRICK is -- will it STAY down? If there's a valid counter-takedown (not just a sticky note), that gets the site off the hook. And then the contenders goes to the courtroom and has intercourse, mostly with the original offender "getting their just desserts." But just becau
Re: What were you expecting? (Score:2)
I've never trusted MS but what ch do we have? (Score:3)
Is there a trustworthy software foundation hosting something like git-hub that we can trust?
Not for long (Score:4, Insightful)
The ability to trust it is precisely what brings it under the cross-hairs of the tech giants. So, even if a new hosting repository sprang up, it would either not get widespread use (and shut down) or it would get widespread use, in which case it would get bought by a tech giant and ruined, or litigated into oblivion by said tech giant.
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The ability to trust it is precisely what brings it under the cross-hairs of the tech giants. So, even if a new hosting repository sprang up, it would either not get widespread use (and shut down) or it would get widespread use, in which case it would get bought by a tech giant and ruined, or litigated into oblivion by said tech giant.
i get routinely ridiculed for having self-hosted project infrastructure, and then things like this happen, which easily justifies the decision. what i particularly look forward to is the completion of the NLnet-sponsored inter-site syndication protocols. this would allow pull requests, bugreports and much more to be done between independent sites and the big centralised (monopolised) hosting companies.
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found it. ForgeFed https://nlnet.nl/project/Forge... [nlnet.nl]
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Re: I've never trusted MS but what ch do we have? (Score:2)
There's gitlab.
Re: I've never trusted MS but what ch do we have? (Score:3)
Gogs.io, gitea, .. many other self-hosted solutions if raw git-daemon is not enough. Self-hosting with federated mirrors by other self-hosting individuals is probably the best solution. If a takedown request is received, immediately comply but send a dump of the git repo to somewhere in another nation... let the game of whack-a-mole be unending!
The big danger is modern language libs such as npm, golang etc. must build in redirect/alias mechanisms so that it's easy to build code whilst referring to a mirror
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Sourceforge is (or was) associated with Slashdot. Back in the day, it was no less central to the FOSS community than Github is today. Perhaps it is time to return to Sourceforge?
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Why would source code want to be associated with forgery?
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Now, if they get
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People losing it (Score:2)
Crazy how so many people are losing their shit over Microsoft. Do you really think that the repo would still be public even if Microsoft didn't purchase Github? We'll see how long it stays on Gitlab after a DMCA is issued to them.
I don't understand why people think that a hosting service should also be fighting the legal battles of its users. I look at it like Spectrum fighting the legal battles of software pirates who are using their internet service.
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Crazy how so many people are losing their shit over Microsoft. Do you really think that the repo would still be public even if Microsoft didn't purchase Github? We'll see how long it stays on Gitlab after a DMCA is issued to them.
I don't understand why people think that a hosting service should also be fighting the legal battles of its users. I look at it like Spectrum fighting the legal battles of software pirates who are using their internet service.
Because anybody can host a git repo. If you want people to use your git repo as opposed to someone else's you need to provide something more. That something more is trust that when BS DMCA requests come through, you don't just blindly hit the delete button. Instead you have someone look at the request and determine if its something to fight or something to deny. If MS stays with the RIAA on this, I will likely be moving my git repos to another service as MS/github is no longer providing the service I si
Re: People losing it (Score:3, Informative)
IF (and that's a big if) the software owners decide to contest the takedown, AND the software owners asked the SFC to help, THEN the SFC opinion might matter. Until then they're like the homeless guy in front of the subway shouting at everyone that aliens kidnapped him and cloned him after an ana
Asking Microsoft to "do the right thing..." lol (Score:1)
Asking Microsoft to "do the right thing" is like asking the sun to quit dimming at night.
Microsoft will always do what they think is best to protect their brands and increase shareholder value.
They don't care about youtube-dl, youtube, github, or you any more than how will you next buy their
goods and services.
THAT increases shareholder value and THAT is what you can talk about in the 10-K and the annual meeting.
E
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Asking Microsoft to "do the right thing" is like asking the sun to quit dimming at night.
Microsoft will always do what they think is best to protect their brands and increase shareholder value. They don't care about youtube-dl, youtube, github, or you any more than how will you next buy their goods and services.
THAT increases shareholder value and THAT is what you can talk about in the 10-K and the annual meeting.
E
And when github losses a significant number of projects over this? They paid more for github than any major music label is worth. Doing the right thing for MS doesn't include taking big losses. This is risking a million dollars in a fight over a dime.
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Not many projects will migrate because of this.
Re: Asking Microsoft to "do the right thing..." lo (Score:3)
Bad publicity? Haters gonna hate no matter what.
"Proof MS ruined our snowbunny virgin github" /s (Score:3)
Why keep playing the game.. (Score:2)
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Great app to view the stuff smoothly (Score:1)
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Everything is copyrighted. One of the YouTube licenses is CC which encourages reuse. That requires downloading, obviously. Otherwise there's no point.
Re: Great app to view the stuff smoothly (Score:1)
Re: Great app to view the stuff smoothly (Score:2)
Other stuff, by its very nature, is not even eligible for copyright. Facts, for example.
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French copyright, a subgroup of Intellectual Property, is enshrined in the Constitution. It applies automatically, without any formality, from the creation of an original work.
From the moment you create a work of the mind:
1. You immediately acquire the status of author, and the panoply of rights that go with it, no deposit or mention is necessary
2. These rights are made up of two families: moral rights and economic rights.
E.g. moral rights allow you to complain if someone tampers with your work in an un
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that would be stupid (Score:2)
RIAA doesn't need an internal reform. They are acting properly *given the current legal regime.* What they need is a court challenge that would change the legal regime. Trying to change them from the inside (as some suggest should be done by its members) would be inherently *corrupt*. The problem is not with RIAA going overboard. The problem is that certain rights exist and must be asserted in order to be preserved. And that creates legal boundaries which are carved out along the wrong path.
There is
morality and the MafiAA (Score:2)
We similarly call on all RIAA members who value FOSS to also resign.
*laughs hysterically* at the contradiction. yet i pause for a minute to wonder if there are, indeed, genuinely any members of the MafiAA organisation that value anything other than profiteering?