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Alan Cox Attacks the European DMCA
forged writes "The Register already reported Alan Cox's involvement against the proposed European Union Copyright Directive before. Today, Alan Cox has issued a wake up call to the Linux community amid concerns that the pending EUCD could stymie open source development.
"The directive, which was approved last year, extends European copyright legislation so that it is even more restrictive than America's controversial Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)."" If you haven't joined the EFF (or the equivalent in your country) , now might be a good time.
Don't think there is- that's why they said "equivalent in your country". EFF is an American organisation.
Video Game cheats, hints a
Well if this passes in Europe I wonder where Alan Cox will move too. South America. Pretty soon he might have to consider the moon...
:)
The Anti-Blog
can we consider this as bad as that law? Analysists have said that Europe is headed towards a left wing bend, but yet those amongst the right wing are rising, (ie: france). This law would be something the left would devise, but yet some Europeans are feeling reactionary now, so would this law even come to pass?
If ordinary Europeans don't, then its up to us then
Slashdot Hypocrisy at work?
Maybe I should put my money where my mouth is and join the EEF Europe or some similar organisation.
The EU is trying to take away a very good reason to live in Europe...
And after seeing what the DMCA has done to the US...
Time to get on the barricades I guess.
"First lesson," Jon said. "Stick them with the pointy end."
For the record I'm totally against the DMCA and this similar abomination in the EU.
That said, would not overly restrictive legislation like this provide strong incentive for consumers to adopt freely available formats that are not encumbered?
If all the big-name commercially-produced for-pay video and audio comes locked up with so many chains, and I can produce my own audio and video in an open format that gets distributed for free without restriction, won't people naturally want viewers for the free formats and content creators for the free formats (a la home movies, etc?)
I mean, a free open standard has worked pretty well for HTML.
"Provided by the management for your protection."
I was suprised that they require a donation to become a member. I realize they need the money, but it seems to me they would have more political clout if their total membership tally were much larger - and making donations optional would certainly accomplish this. People who will give money would do it anyway, people who are too broke to pledge monetary support might still like to be counted as against draconian measures like the DMCA...
Murphy was an optimist.
You can't get it off the Google list, but you can get it from their cache of the copyright directive.
"Anonymous Coward" is for whistleblowers, not unpopular opinions.
Okay, so anybody care to list some equivalents? I think Electronic Frontier Canada is about the closest we have up here in the frosty north. There's also Electronic Frontiers Australia, and the Global Internet Liberty Coalition. Anyone know any others?
- This sig for sale or rent...cheap
"You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war." -- Albert Einstein
http://mail.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/fsfe-uk and
http://uk.eurorights.org/ are good places to get started
"It's better to regret something you have done, than to regret something you haven't done" - Orbital
Well, after the highly offensive campaign to force Americans to say they were not Americans before they could see the kernel changelog for security issues, should we turn about and do the same to Europeans?
I wrote an article summarising the issues discussed at the talk if anyone's interested here.
If you haven't joined the EFF (or the equivalent in your country), now might be a good time.
It's definitely a good idea to join the EFF, and to be active against this kind of thing. But an even more effective action is to let mainstream folks know about this problem. The DMCA and whatnot is as grave a concern for clueless newbies as it is for hardcore geeks.
The best way to make your voice heard on this matter is to find a way to get the general population knowledgeable about what's going on. As long as this is seen as mainly an activism issue for nerds, we're in trouble.
I'm generally "Interesting," "Insightful," and even "Funny" here. What the hell happens to me at parties?
This law would be something the left would devise
How is catering to corporate interests at the expense of the citizens a left-wing trait?
*** Where are we going? And what's with this handbasket?
Sig: What Happened To The Censorware Project (censorware.org)
From the article:
If it goes through unmodified, the EUCD would make it a criminal offence to break or attempt to break the copy protection or Digital Rights Management systems on digital content such as music, software or eBooks. As it stands, the EUCD may lead to a rerun of Dmitri Sklyarov's prosecution, prevent teachers copying materials for their students or other legitimate uses of copyright material, opponents believe.
...
Since it is illegal to circumvent copyright protection, developers would be forced to sign licenses with the creators of a format in order to develop playback tools. This means that a creator could control the market, Cox warned, creating antitrust concerns.
It never ceases to amaze me how companies who claim to be technology companies, or corporations who adopt technological representations of their media cry when all of a sudden they have to deal with a new set of rules that comes with the new medium. If you're unprepared to deal with the ramifications of the technology, then don't invent/publish/distribute using it. Period. End of story.
If you're concerned about copy protection, invent something that works. If you don't have the resources to do that, then investigate new paradigms of reimbursement. The fact that corporations are lobbying for regulation this strict is a clear admission of failure on their part to be smart enough to add value to a huge demand already presented by end consumers.
Thank God for the almighty dollar!
In the end, I hope OpenSource technologies and licenses will be continue to be developed, published and used by individuals. If it is prohibitive to use a particular proprietary file format, then we as consumers should demand that it shouldn't be used, and alternatives be made available instead.
moto411.com
http://uk.eurorights.org/
We have about 6 months before the EUCD becomes law in this country to try and mitigate it as miuch as possible, and try and stop all the massive loopholes that the media industry is going to exploit in it. Any help we can get is alway appreciated!
It is precisely because the matter was left to the diplomats, policitians, and the large corporate interests that fund political campaings that this directive was passed in the first place!
Besides, how much power does he have outside the internet? Leave the fights to the popular, not the techies.
Who did you have in mind to lead the charge? How many people who are "popular" are also sufficiently well informed about the issues and able to speak coherently and intelligently about the issues. Surely the people who attract the public eye have already been co-opted, or at least see this legislation in their own best interests too. For example, I do not imagine that Brittney Spears would ever argue against these sorts of laws. I doubt that she understands the implications - and even if she did, it is in her record company's best interests to make sure that everyone who wants to listen to her music pays for it, and her best interest because a portion of those royalties go to her
Sure, the average person on the street does not know who Alan Cox is, but amongst those who are technologically aware, he is known and his opinion carries some weight.
Who do you think would be a better candidate?
*** Where are we going? And what's with this handbasket?
Alan Cox fights war
Against Uber-copyright
No chance to survive
I mean, a free open standard has worked pretty well for HTML.
Yes it has... but I worked as a <shame>webdesigner</shame> for a (short) while at the end of the browser wars.
And let me tall you.
For the longest time html was a mess! They (the w3c) even canned the 3.0 version and went to 3.2 because things were so confused. And 4.0 and CSS took years before most browsers implemented it in a reasonable way.
You can still run into issues created by Netscape and Microsoft in the browser wars if you don't watch out...
But you're right about things turning out ok in the end.
Html is good, css is ok, the browsers conform better to the DOM every day, and xhtml is a true blessing!
But it sure was a rough ride!
"First lesson," Jon said. "Stick them with the pointy end."
The difference I might add that in some European countries it will be Illegal to speak out against it to ANY extent they want ( Not talking about violent action, talking like that COULD get you in trouble even in the US). Here we can bitch and moan to our hearts content, and actually DO something about it. There, once its law forget it.......
Some European countries? I don't suppose that you could provide us with some details to back that claim up, could you?
*** Where are we going? And what's with this handbasket?
...is on their web form, when you're filling out the membership information, they don't have a radio-box selection for Mr/Miss/Mrs/Dr/etc. They just have a text field called "Saluation" and you can fill in whatever title you want.
So I plan to give them my preferred job title of Programmer-at-Arms. If I convince my girlfriend and fellow geek to join, I hope she'll choose something like Dangerous Felon[*] or Dictator For Life.
[*] Some friends and coworkers went to one of those job fairs where you can fill out "send me free magazines which are vaguely tech-related" cards, which also have fill-in-the-blank Title lines. One of them convinced his supervisor to use Dangerous Felon in the field, and apparently the guy still gets an occasional freebie magazine addressed to Dangerous Felon Joe Public (with Joe Public replaced by his real name).
You cannot apply a technological solution to a sociological problem. (Edwards' Law)
Kind of presumptive, don't you think?
Under capitalism man exploits man. Under communism it's the other way around.
There is an online petition, privatkopie.net, that you might want to consider signing. Of course, since online petitions aren't the most effective tool, you'll also want to think about sending a personal letter to your representative.
Sig (appended to the end of comments I post, 54 chars)
I do not know where YOU are. That may be true, to some extent, or delusion to some extent.
Ive got a better one for you and I guarentee my list will be longer.
Name 1 SINGLE European country, hell even the Balkans, where Absolute Unabridged Freedom of speech is a right that is impeachable by noone ?
The US is very unique in the extent our freedom of speech extends. In france you cannot wave a Nazi flag, in the US you can in fact hand out KKK literature outside a Grade School. You cannot abvocate in certain countries a overthrow, (by political means, not violence) of the entire system of Govt you have, here in the US you can. I could go on for an hour.
Some european countries are VERY liberal and areas of there freedom of speech may extend past what people percive as limits here in the US. But the truth is, and it has been tested time and time again. Freedom of Speech is an ABSOLUTE right in the US. I dare you to show me one single country on the planet that the free speech extends to the lengths it does in the United States.
Show me one single example , I would LOVE to be proved wrong, (there are only 2 other countries in the world thats laws support Freedom of Speech to the degree it extends here in the US)
Is it Illegal to Say ANYTHING you want about ANY subject in your country, to publicize and distribute information on even Illegal activities ?
Its legal here.
Overthrow of Goverment BY VIOLENT Means is the one exception. It is in the other 2 examples I know of as well, just like crying fire in a building will get your ass hauled in.
Sig went tro...aahemmm.....fishing........
Yes you should. By the way, I (disclaimer: I am European) don't think Alan not publishing information that might get him into legal trouble in the US was offensive. It probably was more about publicity than about actual legal issues, but offensive? Not really.
But Europeans often do have that attitude of pointing at the US and wanting to show them how they're not that free any more. Take a look at thefreeworld.net. Now that's offensive.
Make sure we get to know that we aren't better.
Sig (appended to the end of comments I post, 54 chars)
I am very much interested in fighting this legislation. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find an organisation in my home country that seems willing to lead the fight.
If necessary, I'm willing to put in the work to set something up, or help an existing organisation. If any slashdot reader in the Netherlands knows more or wants to help, just drop me an e-mail. Any readers who already have an organisation running in other countries are free to contact me for help and tips.
Mart (e-mail on my userpage)"I know I will be modded down for this": where's the option '-1, Asking for it'?
The directive is made up of two parts. The first part defines copyright in general, and the second part is the DMCA equalent.
The directive has a list of exceptions to copyright that each country can optional implement. One of those is the right to copy digital content for private purposes. The country I live in, Denmark, already allows this. It it is the equalent of fair use, except it is spelled clear out in the law.
The DMCA part is confusing. It is required that the copyright holder makes it possible to copy in the circumstates where those exceptions apply. So in Denmark, the copyright holder needs to make it possible for me to copy the content for private purposes??
Looks to me like the different interrest groups in EU could not agree on if they wanted freedom or the DMCA nightmare from USA. So they tried to do both, which will not work.
I admit it--I was being hopelessly optimistic. It's a flaw of mine. :-)
Most people can. Most people are actually quite smart, if you refuse to let them get away with being dumb. Unfortunately, we live in a society (world-wide as far as I can tell) that thrives on people being stupid, and acting stupid.
"People who do stupid things with hazardous materials often die." -- Jim Davidson on alt.folklore.urban
This petition is directed to the European Parliament. Its goal is to warn European Authorities against the dangers of software patents. This petition is supported by the EuroLinux Alliance together with European companies and non-profit associations. http://petition.eurolinux.org/index_html?LANG=en
Uh, Portugal?
:)
I live here and aside from libel and slander and those things that are forbidden in the US as well, we can do whatever we want.
We actually have a legitimate nazi party. They dont call themselves like that of course (they're the Nationalist Renovator Party), but we know very well what they are.They dont get any votes though
Actually you have a VERY wrong idea of free speech in the EU. What are you basing your euro-prejudice on anyway? Are you a lawyer?
IANAL but my cousin was a well respected attorney (he just retired), and lives on the floor below me.I'd wager it's all a bunch of hear-say and if you really want I could ask him about the free speech laws in various european countries.
All the dictatorships have long been dissolved here. There is no Hitler, Mussolini, Franco or Salazar anymore.They've been dead for ages.
You were free to post the changelog yourself as an American citizen. But you would risk prosecution under the DMCA. So, where's your mirror?
Become a FSF associate member before the low #s are used
No, another European could have reposted it.
Become a FSF associate member before the low #s are used
UK residents can contact their MP by first looking them up and then emailing them using this page. It uses a god awful web form but at least you can make your views known.
I've emailed my MP Paddy Tipping (What a name!)
As always, be polite but be firm!
I know you were probably joking, but just in case..
The DMCA came to America first, and hasn't even got to europe (yet). Secondly, you have your own problems, ie the SSSCA. Lastly, you are much to low on the UN Human Freedom Index to be giving europe crap about free-speech.
This comment does not represent the views or opinions of the user.
Really most people who are _very_ one way or the other are simple minded. I've not met an intelligent person who was not left wing one one issue yet right wing on another. Both wings support some _really_ stupid idealogy if you look at all of their stances. To cite a point, if the left is so free thinking and open minded, did the California left recently try and ban all .50 caliber rifles? These had never been used in a crime, yet they were saying that this would help the public good. Doesn't sound like a free thinking group to me ;-)
:(
Karma: Good (despite my invention of the Karma: sig)
Please stop insulting our intellegence by Americanising the issues that appear on Slashdot.
If I can understand what the European Union Copyright Directive is about, I'm sure that anyone can. It's not like the term is vague and incomprehensible.
When compared to the DCMA, the issues are similar, but the stakeholders and the implications to them are different.
I guess that it is only a matter of time before China's long standing censorship practices are simply referred to as the "Chinese DCMA".
"The big question in our lives is how to be at the same time a hedonist and in a hurry" - Alain Ducasse (?)
"This democracy thing" is actually working. But it works not like you want it to work; instead, it works as it should, and as designed:
"Democracy: a form of government in which the supreme power is retained and directly exercised by the people."
This is not a monarchy where ONE enlightened guy rules the country. This is not a dictatorship when ONE insane guy rules the country. The aggregate of all people rules the country, and representatives of the people form the legislature.
The problem here is that an average citizen of any country has no clue about pretty much anything. But the fool has the voting right! And he uses it left and right not knowing what he is doing, like a neanderthal toying with a nuclear bomb. Since the voting public is so stupid, political machinators nudge it as they need to produce laws they want.
So basically "democracy works, but I don't like the results it produces" would be more correct. The humanity already produced hundreds of real or imaginary societies that were ruled differently; most of them failed to survive. So far, the democracy wins in survival game - but nobody ever said that survival of the fittest equals survival of the smartest!
If things progress further as they are now, expect the reality of "Total Recall: 2070". The society will become an amorphous mush of mindless people, who still are permitted to vote but to no use anyway, and companies rule the world. Alligators survived everyone else, but they are dumb as a brick. Archimedes was smart, and he was killed; Socrates was smart and he was killed. Intellect is bad for survival; illiterate peasants are good. That's where the world is moving to.
Yes you will get hauled away, no charges will be filed, im sure after theyve checked your rectum with a commercial grade endoscope but, as long as youdidnt do it to frighten or incite panic, you will walk away.
The second example isnt a speech issue, you are breaking the law, ask the cop for some drugs same thing, prostitution is illegal , NOW that said you can print books on how to find a secure sex for money, or even make drugs, THAT is protected.
The truth is McCarthy had no real powers, they would haul you up, possibly deport if you werent a citizen, and basically you got blackballed by mob mentality, you broke no laws you werent PROSECUTED, persecuted is a different story. I personally know 2 people who were brought in front of his hearings, 1 was dismissed as an eccentric (VERY TRUE) the other was "watched" until the 1980's but having a copy of Pravda sent to your house in the cold war might have looked a little suspicios. But neither broke laws and neither was prosecuted. They were pariahs, just like the KKK and Neo Nazi's are today, ster clear and dont associate, BUT that is a choice of the people not to associate with them.
My discussion of the laws and the Goverment, what I envision as wrong and how to change it CANNOT be limited even by the so called "agencies who's job it is to ensure "national security""
Chest-thumping.......lol.....Since the DMCA was passed thats all ive heard from the Europeans, a sort of look we can delude ourselves to think we have as much or more freedoms as you.
I have intimate knowledge of classified weapons systems, some may be declassified by now I am sure. I have a background in nuclear physics as well. Can I tell some dipshit terrorist about these things, no. But the information was passed to me in a secure manner, with the understanding it was secured.
NOW If I were the person that came up with those ideas outside of a goverment situation, I could publish, I could pass out flyers telling how to make an ION Path discarge weapon. No one would care, but I could do it. AND be protected in such.
There are a lot of unenforcable laws on the books in every country, you were reffering to a sex law. I am reffering to words that come out of someones mouth or are written on paper. Sex has nothing to do with speech. But in the US you still talk about doing those things without fear of prosecution, look at that NAMBLA thingy , homosexual sex with boys, sickening to me. But they publish guides on it FCOL, and guess what its legal, Im glad it is, (im also glad what they are doing is still illegal here and if they get caught theyll hang so to say) BUT To ensure my freedom of speech continues I must allow others to voice their opinions on anything they wish.
Much of europe bans Nazi literature, even for historic purposes. Certain political parties are OUTLAWED. A man can be imprisioned for lible in some, and votes in others arent closed. This sound free to you ?
Write a paper detailing all the things wrong with YOUR current goverment, make it racy, not violent but turbulent. Publish 5000 copies and pass them out around the EU, see how far you get.
Sig went tro...aahemmm.....fishing........
What democracy? Far as I can see, things are heading towards a corporate feudalism.
Corporations, of course, occupying the positions of the local lords, and the local government taking the position of monarch, dispensing laws.
The 'lords' were the concentration of the power and the wealth, quite capable of toppling a monarch by subtle intrigue, which is why most courts of old had to carfully give the 'lords' lots of what they required, to placate them.
The same is true of corporations now, with their campaign donations, and media slant/purchasing.
The common consumer now takes the role of the ancient 'peasant'. They work hard to get their subsistance, and a little more to keep them happy.
The earnings are given mainly to the 'lords' (currently corporations), who report what they want the monarch (govenment) to hear (via lobby groups, lawyers etc). Then they threaten to withdraw support of actions they want aren't taken.
Most monarchs (political parties) will capitulate to hold onto the power. If they don't, well, the next one will likely be more malleable. Removing the current one is no problem for the 'lords'.
Currently, it seems that a vote is an illusion. No matter who you vote for, a consumate bought and paid for politician is who you get, and the 'power behind the throne' still stays the same.
A democracy presupposes that everyone is informed about all the issues, and that their votes count. Currently, people get one vote every few years, and then just about no say for the next several years. Not only that, but much of the time, actually finding out what the issues are ahead of time is hard to do.. Much like the planning permission for Arthur Dent's house in Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. It was in a disused basement in a locked cabinet, and both stairs and light were out, and there was a sign saying beware of the leopard.
And if we don't reply, it's then assumed that we don't object. Just like the peasantry of the Feudal system. Given enough to be kept 'content', and then kept in the dark about most things of real importance, with the "what the don't know won't hurt us" stance.
Democracy's a great thing. I just wish we had one in the first place.
Malk
I like the final statement he makes:
I would love to take him up on that, except I'm not a member state, just a citizen.http://www.odl.qmul.ac.uk/eucd/
I'm Dutch. I never could protest the DMCA because it was American, and I have no saying in what Americans do with their country, of course.
Now the DMCA comes to my country and it seems like there's no organized protest beyond Britain. Please point me to any organisation that bundles individual efforts of this matter and supports my country in that...
"We can confirm that Debian does *not* ship the version with the trojan horse. Our version predates it." [CA-2002-28]
A democracy presupposes that everyone is informed about all the issues, and that their votes count. Currently, people get one vote every few years, and then just about no say for the next several years.
It also assumes a candidate being available to represent every possible issue. (Which is especially a problem in places like the US, where things are dominated by a tiny number of political parties).
Not only that, but much of the time, actually finding out what the issues are ahead of time is hard to do.
It's not unknown for political parties to claim they will do A, but actually do B . Or simply procrastinate on doing A, without actually doing anything. Let alone using outright "doublespeak".
Immigration ???
Who cares. If you are not a US citizen you do not enjoy the rigths guarenteed by our constitiution. This is a very simple fact that has been proven time and time again. If you are a citizen no one could care less if you were a communist, or a mormon, but hell people just hate the mormons naturally, Im not exactly sure why but they do.
And hell 200 years ago we were hanging wiches. So what
50 years ago the Nazi were with the aid of their collaborators commiting genocide.
Do the germans allow nazi materials to be handed out ? Or the french or belgians for that matter ?
That dosent sound like free speech AT ALL.
Sig went tro...aahemmm.....fishing........