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Copyright Law Mashup Moving Through Congress
The Importance of writes "The INDUCE Act may be dead (for now), but that doesn't mean that Congress won't pass any copyright laws this year. Right now, HR 4077, the "Piracy Deterrence in Education" bill pulls together a number of different initiatives to not only get the government involved in civil copyright enforcement, but change fundamental definitions in copyright, and make certain types of home video viewing illegal. The Senate version (brought to you by Sen. Hatch and Leahy) adds even more copyright law changes. According to Public Knowledge, 'The recording industry and Hollywood are making headway! Threatening bills are positioned to move possibly today or tomorrow (yes, even Saturday!) in the Senate and we need your help, now. Not only do they want to rewrite copyright law (again) to lower the standard required for criminal enforcement of copyright infringement; but now they're changing how you watch TV or DVDs in your own home! The bills (H.R. 4077 and H.R. 2391) also are written to make the way you use iTunes and WiFi a crime. '"
Hmmm, interesting point, but lets imagine similar law about something else instead. Lets chose, say, rape. Now, lets say this law clearly defines what rape is: Sexual intercourse without permission (For the purpose of the analogy, lets ignore details such as intoxication, age, etc.) Well oh noes, thats a terrible law! Because this law prevents fantasizing, because you seldom ask for permission before that! I know it clearly says "sexual intercourse" but who cares about precise definitions and legality, a fantasy is kinda like the real thing, so legally they are indistingishable! They will use the patriot act to find out who has rented porno, and arrest everybody for rape! (Although some may try to argue that the situations involved in these videos invites mind-rape, we all know that "She was asking for it" is a completely unacceptable excuse, so the "implicit contract" defense will likely not hold)
My point? Town hall, auditoriums, school gyms, your pants, a hippo skull, the pope, Jupiter...none of these things are movie theaters. Any similarities (A big room where things are seen and heard) are insufficient. For the law to apply, it must actually BE a movie theater.
ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI
Go fuck yourself, Leahy.
autopr0n is like, down and stuff.