In our 637th issue:
Congress Wants to Make CFAA Penalities Worse -- We Need to Stop Them
Last week, Congress put
forth a bill that would dangerously expand computer crime law to double
or even triple the penalties prosecutors could use to threaten computer
users -- people like digital rights activist Aaron Swartz. We've got to
stop them and tell them this law needs real reform to protect visionary,
talented, justice-driven individuals like Aaron. We're pulling out all
the stops this week, and we need your help. We need the Internet to
speak out with a voice so loud legislators have no choice but to listen.
Here's the game plan:- We have built a Twitter tool that helps you to tweet at legislators. Staffers count these messages, so please tweet lots.
- Call the House Judiciary Committee. We've collected their numbers and prepared an easy-to-follow script for the phone call. If you've never called your legislators before, today is the day to start.
- Change your Twitter icon to reflect that you're taking part in this cause. We've created an image that can help spread the word.
- Finally, if you haven't yet, please take our action alert to e-mail Congress about the specific changes we'd like to see in a reformed CFAA.
Busting Myths from CISPA Supporters
Supporters of CISPA, the
so-called "cybersecurity bill," have promoted it with craftily worded or
just plain misleading claims. To stop this type of misinformation --
and to stop CISPA -- we urge you to tell your members of Congress
to stand up for privacy. We've collected some of the most egregious
myths put forward by CISPA supporters and explained why these claims are
false.
App Developers: Lodsys is Back. It's Time to Beat this Troll.
It's been nearly two years
since we first reported about Lodsys, the patent troll who targeted app
developers. You might remember that Lodsys had actually filed lawsuits
against some app developers in Texas; that case is slowly moving
forward. Now it appears that Lodsys sued at least ten more app
developers -- many smaller players along with larger ones such as Walt
Disney.
EFF Updates
Copyright laws that
represent the one-sided concerns of Hollywood at the expense of the
broader public interest do not belong in trade agreements. Yet just days
after dozens of public interest groups around the world issued a
statement on this issue, a senator with longstanding ties to the
entertainment industry introduced a misguided bill that would create a
new position for a "Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property
Negotiator" -- in other words, an Ambassador from Hollywood, paid for by
the general public.
Are You A Teenager Who Reads News Online? According to the Justice Department, You May Be a Criminal
The Departments of Justice
(DOJ) of both the Bush and Obama administrations have embraced an
expansive interpretation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act that would
literally make it a crime for many kids to read the news online.
Specifically, the DOJ has taken the position that a violation of a
website's Terms of Service can be treated as a criminal act. For a
number of reasons, including the requirements of the Children’s Online
Privacy Protection Act, many news sites have terms of service that
prohibit minors from using their interactive services and sometimes even
visiting their websites.
Let's face it: most of us
have no idea how companies are gathering and sharing our personal data.
So what can we do about it? A new proposal in California -- supported by
a diverse coalition including EFF and the ACLU of Northern California
-- is fighting to bring transparency and access to the seedy underbelly
of digital data exchanges. The Right to Know Act gives users access to
the personal data a company has stored on them, as well as a list of all
the other companies with whom that original company has shared the
users' personal data.
The federal appeals court
in New York has affirmed that Internet streaming service Aereo is not
infringing copyright when it enables users to stream broadcast TV to
Internet devices. The Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld the
trial court's decision not to shut down Aereo while the case is
pending. This decision is a win for Aereo, its customers, and for future
innovators with the audacity to improve the TV-watching experience
without permission from copyright owners.
In July 2009, South Korea became the first country to introduce
a graduated response or "three strikes" law. There is no judicial
process, no court of appeal, and no opportunity to challenge the
accusers. This entertainment industry experiment in Internet enforcement
has been a failure. So now Korea's National Human Rights Commission has
recommended that the three strikes law be re-examined, given its
unclear benefits, and its potential violation of the human rights to
receive and impart information and to participate in the cultural life
of the community.A federal judge in Los Angeles showed little restraint in expressing his frustration with the "attorney misconduct" he's identified by the prominent copyright trolls behind Prenda Law. When none of the attorneys at the hearing would offer testimony, Judge Otis D. Wright, II, adjourned the highly-anticipated hearing after only 12 minutes.
miniLinks
Longtime friend of EFF Cory Doctorow explains -- as only he can -- why some new CFAA proposals are truly disastrous, and what we all must do to stop them.A major reason to reform laws like the CFAA and DMCA is that they criminalize lots of things most people don't think are "bad" or "illegal" -- including some things that tech reporters don't even mind writing in the newspaper about doing.
EFF Staff Attorney Julie P. Samuels writes in Wired about how the patent system is hindering innovation, and what we can do to fix it.
Supported by Members
Our members make it possible for EFF to bring legal and technological expertise into crucial battles about online rights. Whether defending free speech online or challenging unconstitutional surveillance, your participation makes a difference. Every donation gives technology users who value freedom online a stronger voice and more formidable advocate.If you aren't already, please consider becoming an EFF member today.
Donate Today
Administrivia
Editor: Parker Higgins, Activisteditor@eff.org
EFFector is a publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
eff.org
Membership & donation queries: membership@eff.org
General EFF, legal, policy, or online resources queries: info@eff.org
Reproduction of this publication in electronic media is encouraged. MiniLinks do not necessarily represent the views of EFF.
No comments:
Post a Comment