MPAA Kills California Anti-Pretexting Bill

IAmTheDave writes "A California anti-pretexting bill that got unanimous support in the state senate with a vote of 30-0 was struck down after heavy last-minute lobbying by the MPAA. The bill aimed to make deceptive 'pretexting' (lying) to gain personal information on another person illegal. The MPAA told legislators 'We need to pose as someone other than who we are to stop illegal downloading,' and thus killed the bill when it came up for a final vote. California passed a much narrower bill that 'bans the use of deceit to obtain telephone calling records, and nothing else.' In a final 'think of the children' bid, the Califonia Association of Licensed Investigators also opposed the bill, saying it needed to be able to use pretexting to help find missing children, among other things."

Comments

Re:It's bad enough that the police can do this...

[kimvette]

Oh, I know this one!

You could become a Senator and murder someone in a 'car accident'

Or, you could become President and commit outright treason by subverting the Constitution, and have conservatives who are theoretically outraged by this sort of thing kissing your feet in thanks.

In short: become a politician

Mitnick?

[Pojut]

Anyone else curious about what Kevin Mitnick has to say concerning this?

Re:MPAA needs to stop illegal downloading?

[Prof.Phreak]

Prisons? Armed agents? The power to arrest and seize property?

Stop giving them ideas! (not that they can't already do that via other means...)

Re:Best democracy money can buy

[geoffspear]

You misspelled "some state". Hope this helps, corn boy.

Alright, kernel

[krell]

"You misspelled "some state". Hope this helps, corn boy."

I'd better get back to husking the ears, then, my erstwhile foe.

Re:History of Violence

[bwt]

I wonder how many marriages began with a guy telling lies in a bar to get a girl's phone number only to realize later that he actually likes her.

Re:History of Violence

[LoveGoblin]

Yeah, I'm talking to you, Angelina Jolie.

Yeah, as if she reads Slashdot!

You mean I've been hanging around here this whole time for NOTHING?!

Re:Best democracy money can buy

[Shakrai]

I don't know much about the California legislature, but I doubt they have committees that include half of the legislative body.

Actually they do.... the committee on gerrymandering-to-keep-all-of-our-incumbents-in-po wer is made up of virtually all members of the legislature and is the most successful example of bipartarisan cooperation in California history.