Slashdot Mirror


"Super-DMCA" Outlaws Ph.D. Thesis

zenquest writes "SecurityFocus reports in this article that a recently-enacted Michigan law makes the graduate work of Niels Provos illegal. (His honeyd project was discussed here a few months back.) According to the article, "Among other things, residents of the Great Lakes State can no longer knowingly "assemble, develop, manufacture, possess, deliver, offer to deliver, or advertise" any device or software that conceals "the existence or place of origin or destination of any telecommunications service." It's also a crime to provide written instructions on creating such a device or program. Violators face up to four years in prison." Provos has had to move his website and research papers to a server in the Netherlands. Similar bills are under consideration in seven states, and have become law in six others. The EFF has more information about the individual states. So, does this mean that Caller-ID block now illegal, as well?"

3 of 556 comments (clear)

  1. Fight fire with fire by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    Consumers might have issues eliminating laws like this thus we have to make the law a lot more controversial...

    Use this law to thus go after Spammers with a legal ax. After all, they are conceling themselves quite well.

    Any RIAA bot on a P2P network that is trying to act and look like a normal user? Conceled identity, sue them!

    Any person trying to investigate anybody online by posing as a normal person (and not as an agent of whatever department they are with) can no longer due that, it is illegal.

    Wireless networks without authentication are now illegal, sue any network provider that doesn't provide adequate software to protect your network.

    Sue Ebay, who cannot find out where the criminals using their service are located at (after all, they provided the communication medium and didn't authenticate both sides).

    Heck, have a field day with these laws. Get your lawyers and earn some money! As soon as a lot of people start doing that, the law will crumble as corporations and criminals alike cry like mad. Certainly, if the normal person cannot change laws, then the normal citizen must make the law a lot more aggravating to those who can change it.

  2. Re:Caller ID by FyRE666 · · Score: 0, Troll

    The law makes it illegal to hide the information from a service provider without the service provider's permission.

    Hmm, so when I go shopping for my pants (that's "boxer shorts" to you Americans I think), I'll have to wander around the store in the nude to make sure they have enough information?

  3. Re:so-much-for-researhc by Glytch · · Score: 0, Troll

    I see your new hear. Welcom too Slahsdot.