Boucher's Anti-DMCA Bill Gets High Profile Allies

Landaras writes "News.com is reporting that a newly-formed alliance called the Personal Technology Freedom Coalition is throwing their support and lobbying efforts behind Rep. Rick Boucher's (D-Va) Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act. Members of the Personal Technology Freedom Coalition include Intel, Sun Microsystems, Verizon, SBC, Qwest, Gateway and BellSouth. The EFF and the American Library Association are also in support."

Comments

The most important section...

[sploo22]

IMHO, the most important section of this bill is section 5(b)(2):

(b) FAIR USE RESTORATION- Section 1201(c) of title 17, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting before the period at the end the following: `and it is not a violation of this section to circumvent a technological measure in connection with access to, or the use of, a work if such circumvention does not result in an infringement of the copyright in the work'; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

`(5) It shall not be a violation of this title to manufacture, distribute, or make noninfringing use of a hardware or software product capable of enabling significant noninfringing use of a copyrighted work.'.

Finally, at least some of our rights are being upheld.

Re:This certainly smells of election-year politici

[Ian Wolf]

This certainly smells of election-year politicing

Normally, I'd be inclined to agree, but Rep. Boucher has been championing this issue for some time now.

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There are of course many more. This bill was originally introduced in 2002. This guy is the real deal.

I didn't go back far enough to get the link of his interview here on /., but I'm sure somebody probably already has since I started this post.

Re:To whom should we address our letters?

[Overzeetop]

Type up a letter and mail it everyone listed as a Representative at house.gov in your state, except your local representative. Your local Rep should get a handwritten (very neatly, thank you) letter.

You may also want to drop a line to the first sub-committee (Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property) listed here:

http://www.house.gov/judiciary/submembers.htm

and to the first sub-committee (Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection) listed here:

http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/subcommittee s/ Commerce_Trade_and_Consumer_Protection_Members.htm

(BTW - Mary Bono is on that last committee. You might just want to hand write a note that if she doesn't like the bill, you recommend she stick it up her...um, no, maybe that's not a good idea, on second thought)

Follow the money

[hellfire]

Always follow the money.

Verizon was hit hard by the RIAAs attempts to supoena the names of their users. It's not in Verizon's best interests to give up such names, because they make money on services, not software. The DMCA has severe effects on software and copywrited files. Verizon doesn't give a rats ass (as they should not) as to what goes across their networks, as long as people pay for the right to use those lines.

If people lose privacy and anonymity by using Verizon because they are the target of the RIAA, Verizon will lose customers. Verizon can't afford that.

Also note companies like Comcast and AOL/Time Warner who are cable companies who are NOT on that list. They provide internet services, but they are also part of larger media conglomerates that want their media content providers preserved.