Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

DMCA Exemptions Don't Matter

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the exception-to-the-rule dept.

sbma44 followed up to the recent news that jailbreaking iPhones is now legal with an article about DMCA exemptions. He says "The American Prospect has an article up that argues that focus on specific DMCA exemptions is silly, the practical upshot is about zero, and the underlying law remains as rotten as ever."

3 of 146 comments (clear)

  1. My first response as well by OrangeTide · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I had the same reaction myself. These kinds of laws just need to die.

    --
    “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    1. Re:My first response as well by bit9 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      When I look at the current state of IP law, the one thing that always strikes me is how far we've fallen since the Sony vs. Universal case in 1984. That wasn't that long ago, and yet in that relatively short amount of time, IP law has done a complete 180-degree turn. Well, seemingly, anyway - I'm sure if I went back and looked closer, I would probably find that things weren't quite as clear cut in 1984 as it felt like they were. Nonetheless, to go from having SCOTUS declare that timeshifting == fair use to having a federal law that criminalizes fair use (which is essentially what DMCA does, since you have to circumvent CSS et all these days in order to exercise your fair use rights) in such a short time is something I find difficult to wrap my mind around.

    2. Re:My first response as well by TrisexualPuppy · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Nay, let's just focus on the facts.

      We are in a political quagmire and should take any means necessary to protect our common interests. DMCA exemptions are basically our wedge into the crack, and if we hammer enough wedges, we can make the crack that much bigger. The exceptions really are our best bet right now.