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Senator Hollings and the SSSCA
An Anonymous Coward writes: "You probably suspected some sort of "follow the money" thing was behind Sen. Fritz Hollings' support of SSSCA, the draft bill that would make using 'any interactive digital device that does not include and utilize certified security technologies' illegal in the U.S. This proposed law could effectively outlaw Linux and most Open Source software, depending on how judges interpret it. A NewsForge story details where Sen. Hollings' money comes from. Guess what? His biggest contributors are entertainment industry companies, their lawyers, and their lobbyists. The story also says Hollings and his staff refused to comment on the bill, and staffers the reporter talked to refused to even give their names." Newsforge and Slashdot are both part of VA Linux.
Let his identity be stolen, he might change his tune about personal privacy.
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Build a system that even a fool can use, and only a fool will want to use it. - George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
We can't let the same thing that happened with the DMCA happen with this law: the geeks of the world need to, just for a moment, crawl out of their holes and write to the folks in congress. Yes, we're not a megacorporation unto ourselves -- but we do have money, and we vote.
With the DMCA, most senators didn't even realize that anybody was even opposed to this law. That can't happen again.
You can find your representatives online.
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Should the US fight terrorism with terrorism?
againstrevenge.org
In addition to my office in Washington, D.C., I have three offices in South Carolina: Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville. The addresses and phone numbers for these offices are below. South Carolina residents may call, toll free, 1-800-922-8503.
If you would like to send me an e-mail, please enclose a postal address to ensure a prompt response.
Washington, D.C.
125 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202)224-6121
Web Mail
Charleston, S.C.
112 Custom House
200 East Bay Street
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 727-4525
Lowcountry Assistant: Joe Maupin
Columbia, S.C.
1835 Assembly Street
Suite 1551
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 765-5731
State Director: Trip King
Greenville, S.C.
126 Federal Building
Greenville, SC 29603
(864) 233-5366
Upstate Assistant: John Funderburk
How can it not? Especially when the government uses many of the technologies it hopes to alienate and regulate. Before long, there will be so much crappy legislation in place that it will be impossible to move an inch without breaking some law or another. But, that will not stop people from moving. We'll definitely find that law enforcement will be spending so much effort trying to enforce dozens of laws with millions of Americans.
This is why that the best ways we can respond are A) write a litter to your representatives, telling them to NOT pass this foolishness, and if that fails, B) everyone do everything they can to break these laws to the highest extent. What better way to stop a machine than to throw objects into its gears? In this situation where such important fundamental freedoms are in jeopardy, our only choices may be to throw ourselves in between the cogs.
How long before courts are so utterly bogged down with millions of open software and encryption users (individuals and businsess alike) that they are using up all their time? Eventually, practicallity will get in the way of these old fruits. The scale of this is analagous to making blue jeans illegal. Sure, the gov. could make it a crime to wear certain pants, but what's going to happen when every court room in the nation has a mile-long line of people waiting to be arraigned (on top of the line that's already there no less!)
Why bother.
Sons of Technology, I am Steve Wozniak.
[Steve Wozniak is seven feet tall!]
Yes, I've heard. Kills men by the hundreds, and if he were here he'd consume the SSSCA with fireballs from his eyes and bolts of lightning from his arse.
I AM Steve Wozniak! And I see a whole army of my countrymen here in defiance of tyranny. You've come to fight as free men...and free men you are. What will you do without freedom? Will you fight?
[Fight? Against that? NO! We will run...and we will live.]
Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you'll live...at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that...for one chance, JUST ONE CHANCE, TO COME BACK HERE AND TELL OUR ENEMIES THAT THEY MAY TAKE OUR LIVES...BUT THEY'LL NEVER TAKE OUR FREEDOM!!!
F-bacher
James Tiberius Kirk: "Spock, the women on your planet are logical. No other planet in the galaxy can make that claim."
The teamsters controlled the movement of goods across the continent. We need to take control of the movement of the information. If we have to, we should all be willing to stop working and suspend all support. "Oh you want e-mail? Well we have this little problem. We don't like your proposed legislation. What, your database is offline and you can't fill your orders? This is the name of the representative you need to speak to..." You get the picture. I know it wouldn't be easy, there will be "scabs" willing to undermine our position and they would have to be dealt with. But is freedom to do whatever you want with your information without the Government interfering worth fighting for?
You're using her as bait, Master!
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It has come to my attention that Rep. Fritz Hollings is introducing a bill titled the The Security Systems Standards and Certification Act (SSSCA). This bill will make it illegal to possess any computer device that allows unrestricted copying of digital data.
I have previously written to you about the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, a similar law which I believe to be unconstitutional. The DMCA makes it legal for corporations to develop technology that can limit or remove my fair-use rights under copyright law, but makes it illegal for me to use other technology to restore these rights.
The SSSCA takes this unconstitutional practice even further. The SSSCA makes it illegal to own a computer that does not have "security controls". If I purchase a computer, all of the hardware and software in that computer must comply with whatever access controls the media industry has created. Undoubtedly, the restrictions that these access controls impose will not be open for debate by the American public. The corporations will have total control.
The SSSCA effectively criminalizes the development and use of a type of software known as "Open Source." Briefly, programs classified as Open Source are written in such a way as to allow users to examine and, if they wish, modify the inner workings of the programs to suit their purposes. Security controls such as these could not be implemented in Open Source software because any programmer could easily remove them . You may be surprised to learn that a significant portion of the entire Internet runs on Open Source software.
Like the DMCA, the SSSCA does not guarantee that I will be able to exercise all of my fair-use rights with this new "approved" technology. Fair-use is about intent. I can duplicate any copyrighted work I want, provided my intent falls under the guidelines of fair-use. However, it is impossible for any technology to determine what my intent is.
The DMCA and the SSSCA are unnecessary, because the original copyright laws are sufficient for the digital age. They allow individuals to make personal copies of copyrighted works that they've legally obtained, but disallow mass distribution of those works. Unfortunately, the media companies are not interested in targeting only those people who violate copyright law. Instead, it's much easier for them to buy legislation that strips honest consumers of their rights.
I would like to direct your attention to an online news article about Rep. Hollings and the SSSCA. If you can, please pull up your web browser and visit
http://www.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=01/09/20/2 047211
On this page, you can read how a reporter attempted to get some basic questions about the SSSCA answered from Rep. Hollings, but was instead met with resistance. Not only that, but investigations into the financial supporters of Rep. Hollings show that five of the top twenty soft-money donations come from media companies. These are the same companies that promoted the DMCA and would like nothing more than to completely eliminate the concept of fair-use from copyright law.
Draconian laws such as the DMCA and the SSSCA are getting out of hand. They prove to me that many of our so-called elected officials really answer only to commercial interests. I am opposed to any law that restricts my constitutional rights, and the SSSCA is definitely one of these laws. As an engineer, I feel that my rights are being slowly erased by politicians who don't understand technology. I am confident that you will take the right side on this issue. Don't let commercial media interests defile the constitution.
And the men who hold high places must be the ones who start
To mold a new reality... closer to the heart
Someone who is so influenced by big money can only be a scum. Such a bill would be unconstitutional - and would never pass...but he is a scum even for suggesting it. Mad props to all the politicians who are trying to remove the influence of big business...McCain, Feingold, etc(and, ugh, Nader). Remember the New Hampshire state motto: ``Live free or die!'' If the bill passes(probability 1:1e99), millions would have to be jailed and fined. FUCK HIM! This bill is an abomination-and it goes against everything this country is supposed to stand for. Every researcher, etc, who uses non-certified OSS would have to leave the country or not be able to upgrade their kernel version. Entire commercial OSes would have to be re-written. FUCK HIM! Call your representatives and tell them to vote no on this bill--or you will not re-elect them. I wanted Dubya to win(lesser of two evils) but if he signs this into law...our country has been crippled. FUCK those authoritarians who want to regulate every aspect of our lives.
Excuse my swearing. I am just really ticked off.