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Sen. Hatch to Introduce Wide-ranging Copyright Bill

The Importance of writes "C|Net News is reporting that a new copyright bill, to be introduced next week by Sen. Orrin Hatch, will likely overturn the Betamax decision (which held that VCRs were legal) and threaten all sorts of innovation. EFF broke the story and Copyfight has been all over it. Don't miss the comments of law professor Susan Crawford who says, 'This is amazing. Now we're waaaaaay beyond contributory and vicarious theories of liability, which are court-created and pretty darn broad on their own.' Text of the bill here and PDF."

24 of 891 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Powerful incentives by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Good, but you forgot #20 (Disney) media giant also.

  2. Re:Can't overturn the decision by John+Seminal · · Score: 5, Informative
    The court case specifically said Congress has the power to enact laws which would change the Betamax case outcome. The Court said they came to the conclusion based on laws congress had on the books. If those laws change, the outcome of the case would change.

    What I think is more important is the RIAA hired Senator Hatchs son as one of their lobbyists. It should be a conflict of interest. Since they can't outright buy the Senator, they hire the kid who will have a wealth of oppertunity to influance his father.

    --

    Rosco: "If brains were gunpowder, Enos couldn't blow his nose."

  3. Not again! by igrp · · Score: 2, Informative
    I don't mean to politicize this but maybe Sen. Hatch should just let it go.

    He's been one of the big supporters of the Pirate Act (allowing the DoJ to file civil suits against file swappers) and the Induce Act (blog) which seeks to hold those that "induce" copyright infridgements criminally liable.

    Here's some more information on him. I guess some people should just not be reelected...

  4. Orrin Hatch is a fskin' hypocrite by GillBates0 · · Score: 2, Informative
    The Induce Act stands for "Inducement Devolves into Unlawful Child Exploitation Act," a reference to Capitol Hill's frequently stated concern that file-trading networks are a source of unlawful pornography. Hatch is a conservative Mormon who has denounced pornography in the past and who suggested last year that copyright holders should be allowed to remotely destroy the computers of music pirates.

    and industry puppet. I wish the CNet story pointed out that Orrin Hatch's official website was found to be running unlicensed software a few days after his acclaimed suggestion to destroy "pirates'" machines.

    Amusingly, an AC discovered that one of the links on the website was linked to a pr0n website as some /.arrs may remember.

    --
    An Indian-American Hindu committed to non-violent thought/speech/action alarmed by the global explosion of radical Islam
  5. Re:Powerful incentives by clbyjack81 · · Score: 5, Informative
    And even more screwed up is how he abides by his own convictions .

    --
    Cole's Axiom: The sum of the intelligence on the planet is a constant. The population is growing.
  6. Re:When does this fucker's term expire? by Ryan+Monster · · Score: 3, Informative

    Hey, I'm in Utah, and I've never voted for him! I have had a personal vendetta against him for the last 4 years! Everyone I know is *WELL* aware of where I stand on these Hatch-inspired bills and why. I have personally sent him several emails as well as snail mail letters expressing my sentiments as a constituent for his legislation attempts. He is not representing me or anyone else in Utah that I know of. The only thing I can figure is that he is representing someone with deep pockets or he is *WAAAY* off the deep end. (Lest you think all of us in Utah are mindlessly voting Republican!)

    --
    Change your name to Homer Junior! Your friends can call you Hoju
  7. Who buys his music? ($18,000 Royalties worth) by seawall · · Score: 3, Informative
    According to http://www.nbc5.com/irresistible/2276786/detail.ht ml, Senator Hatch has made $18,000 in music royalties in a single year.

    A past scandal in congress was over institutional supporters of politicians buying lots and lots of a book written by that politician. Maybe the books were in a warehouse or distributed free to members afterwards but the money was "royalties".

    The above paragraphs probably have nothing to do with each other.

  8. Re:Child Exploitation My Ass. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    No Because he's a mormon he believes that he will be a god someday

  9. Re:LDS Soon to Run Country by elder_jones · · Score: 2, Informative

    And we welcome you, our new underlings. Have you heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Would you like to know more? I can arrange to have a copy of The Book Of Mormon sent to you, at no obligation to yourself. If you'd like, I can have it delivered by two nice, clean-cut young men.

  10. Oh yes they can... by mosel-saar-ruwer · · Score: 4, Informative

    Congress can't overturn a decision by the Supreme Court, thats a convenience of having a well-designed government.

    Your "well-designed government" was designed by this thing called The United States Constitution, which states, in no uncertain terms:

    In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.
    Of course, The Constitution ain't the most politically correct document these days, and goodness knows the courts don't give a damn about it...

  11. Re:Powerful incentives by Stargoat · · Score: 5, Informative

    Hey, it's our old friend, the Jackass from Utah!
    1. Senator Hatch was the fellow who last year wanted to develop software to physically destroy the computers of people who download music.
    2. One of his staffers cracked into computers of House Democrats.
    3. Senator Hatch's website used unlicensed (read illegal) hosting software for several months.
    4. Hatch also thinks of himself as an amateur musician, who is losing money because people download his music.
    5. Hatch's son is a lawyer, one of who's clients is the SCO.

    --
    Hoist Number One and Number Six.
  12. Bookmark time by nanojath · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/ senators_cfm.cfm

    Let your senators know.

    --

    It Is the Nature of Information to Transgress Artificial Boundaries

  13. Re:Lobbying = Corruption. by Planesdragon · · Score: 3, Informative

    There are so few things that the Federal govermment can legally do...

    And copyright is one of them. It's even in the original document, not the amendments.

  14. Re:Powerful incentives by Erwos · · Score: 5, Informative

    The Digital Millenium Copyright Act was passed under a Democratic president. Please stop trying to pretend either party is terribly interested in giving you all the "fair use rights" you want for copyrighted works.

    -Erwos

    --
    Plausible conjecture should not be misrepresented as proof positive.
  15. Re:This will surely induce me... by St.+Alfonso · · Score: 2, Informative

    Republican != conservative ... Sen. Hatch is no conservative, he is a "RINO" (Republican in Name Only". He's also been behind some pretty awful legislation that would increase the number of H1-B visas, and is well-known for pandering to the RIAA.

    We need to set up a PAC to send this weasel back to Utah ...

  16. Re:Powerful incentives by micromoog · · Score: 3, Informative
    Programmers do work that is easily repeatable by others. Sorry, but it's the truth . . . ten programmers may implement a spec slightly differently, but the end result is basically the same.

    Ten writers will NOT produce the same script given a basic treatment. And probably only one of those will be good enough to become an actual movie.

    It's completely different. Programming is NOT art.

  17. Re:Powerful incentives by bnenning · · Score: 2, Informative

    This should be "insightful" instead of "funny". It's why cigarettes will never be made illegal, even though they're far more harmful than many illegal drugs. By dying early (and paying cigarette taxes), smokers are a large benefit to government cash flow.

    --
    How to solve most of our problems: 1.Lots of nuclear plants. 2.Cure aging.
  18. Re:My C|Net comment (btw, yet another Michael stor by Newspimp · · Score: 2, Informative

    Actually, Sonny Bono was Republican.

    Sonny Bono Obit

  19. Don't forget the other vector: WIPO by michaelmalak · · Score: 4, Informative

    The entertainment industry is also pursuing this through another vector: through WIPO. If the U.S. signs the new WIPO treaty, then Betamax will be overturned even without Hatch's bill. See my Nov. 8, 2003 blog entry U.S. corroborating with WIPO to overturn Betamax decision and also eliminate public domain.

  20. Re:I just sent my contribution to EFF... by I8TheWorm · · Score: 3, Informative

    Or, go look at Perspective: The new jailbird jingle where you can start your research on the NET Act. Signed by Bill Clinton 1997, it makes peer-to-peer (P2P) pirates liable for $250,000 in fines and subject to prison terms of up to three years. Up to three years of jail time for copyriight infringement.

    I write this not because I'm a supporter of either party, but because I'm tired of the finger pointing. They're all doing it, most are corrupt, and only active and educated voters can change it. And here's a hint... neither Bush nor Kerry are going to be your friend in the copyright law fights.

    --
    Saying Android is a family of phones is akin to saying Linux is a family of PCs.
  21. Re:Powerful incentives by dwillden · · Score: 3, Informative
    He used to give us fairly decent representation. Then he started recording his music, and went off the deep-end on copyright issues. His repeated attempts to amend the constitution have always been comic relief.

    Unfortunately he's not up for re-election til 06, and it is doubtful the Republican party will put up any serious contenders for his seat. Demos just waste their time and money trying for a Senate seat in Utah. There is one house seat they usually do well in, but forget the Senate.

    As to this issue, I'm just waiting for EFF to put up an action center item on this, once they do he'll get a fax or three on this issue.

    --
    I'm too lazy to compose a creative sig.
  22. Re:Powerful incentives by Kymermosst · · Score: 4, Informative

    I've never understood why people register for a party....most people I know don't like everything one party does, etc. I can't imagine just voting a 'party line' on all issues and candidates. To me that just shows no thought process or consideration at all. I say bravo to the grandparent of the thread saying he votes here at there even though a registered party person, but, I'm curious why register to a party at all?

    Why register with a party? Here are a few reasons I can think of:

    * MOST IMPORTANT: Being registered with a party lets you vote in the party primary in states that do not have an open primary. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS VOTE IN THE PRIMARY!!! If most of the Republican-leaning independents would register with the party, for example, and choose primary candidates that were more moderate, there would be less idiots like Hatch in the upper ranks.
    * If you want to run for office, long standing in the party will equate to added support for you.
    * All of the organization of the party starts at elected Precint Committeeperson (PCP) positions (in the major parties, anyway). Being registered with a party allows you to be elected to one of these positions. Getting elected to a PCP position means having some amount of say on party policy, especially at the local level.
    * Being involved in the party by participating at the local level allows you to meet all of the candidates running in your area, and you can do your part to help the one you agree with the best to get elected. If none of them are good enough, run for office yourself.

    FWIW, I'm a Republican, my wife and I both hold Precinct Committeeperson positions, and I am involved with the party a lot at the local level. I run the network at the central committee office and volunteer time here and there on various campaigns. I also contribute actual dollars to some of the candidates I like.

    Knowing and volunteering for candidates is important if you really care about issues like this. You know what you get with your vote, and should that person be elected, they'll remember who you are when you want them to listen to why you think this latest bill is a bad idea.

    --
    "Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives" should be a convenience store, not a government agency.
  23. Re:Concerning taxes... by Aero · · Score: 2, Informative

    There's a reason why taxes aren't flat, and it's because lower incomes are proportionately worse off, even if the same percentage is taken out.

    Say that the flat tax rate were 20%. For someone making $200,000, they'd be paying $40,000 in taxes, leaving them with $160,000. That would provide quite a comfortable lifestyle for most of the /. crowd. But drop that base salary by an order of magnitude to $20,000 -- lower middle class, far above minimum wage -- and when you take out the $4,000 in taxes, you're left with $16,000. You've gone from a barely-livable gross wage to a nonlivable net wage, all for the sake of "equality". But it's the same percentage.

    Check up on the meanings of progressive vs. regressive taxes.

    --
    We can believe in you for 3 minutes, but beyond that, even the King of All Cosmos can't be expected to wait.
  24. Re:Fascism is a flavor of socialism. by tobar+mersa · · Score: 2, Informative
    Three points:
    • You forget that, in this case, National is used here as a negation of the term socialism. Socialism is generally described as the nationalization of [some|many|all] industries, which are then run for the public good (or at least the people in charge called it the public good, whether or not it was in fact for the public good). The Nazis, afaik, did not nationalize any industries when they got into power, and they most assuredly did not run anything for the public good. And do not forget that they were explicitly anti-Bolshevik, and Bolshevism is a (bastardized) form of Marxism; Nazis were explicitly anti-Jewish/Slavic/Roma/etc., essentially, they declared for the "Aryan" race and against anyone else, while proper Socialism demands the essential equality of the Proletariat regardless of background.

    • Nazism != Fascism.

    • Fascism, like Marxism, Bolshevism, Leninism, Stalinism, Maoism, Potism, and every other -ism, is a flavor of socialism.
      Tell me, how are Objectivism and Libertarianism forms of Socialism?
    --
    This sig space intentionally left blank.