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  • From: "Alan MacHett" <machett AT ibiblio.org>
  • To: internetworkers AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [internetworkers] Princeton Student Sued over disclosing how todefeat CD copy protection software
  • Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2003 14:03:23 -0400 (EDT)

I think the kid's right in saying "I don't think telling people to press
the 'Shift' key is a violation of the DMCA."

I don't know what his paper detailed or concluded, but I imagine SunnComm
would have more success with a libel suit rather than going through the
DMCA, not that I'd care to help the bastards.

What I find more disturbing, though, is the latent threat in such
lawsuits. This kid is a grad student in computer security and they're
kicking him in the ass for that. The last paragraph reads:
"The RIAA had threatened action under the DMCA against Felten [the kid's
advisor] and colleagues after they said they would publish a paper
disclosing flaws in an industry security initiative. That suit was
eventually dismissed."
The powers-that-be want it to be illegal to point out security flaws.
My vote always goes to open source...

-Alan

Shea Tisdale said:
> This is getting ridiculous now. It's time to put an end to the DMCA.
>
> http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20031009/wr_nm/media_b
> mg_protection_dc_2
>
> So by disclosing that you can prevent drivers from loading at CD launch
> by holding down the shift key...
>
> "SunnComm alleged Halderman violated criminal provisions of the Digital
> Millennium Copyright Act (news - web sites) in disclosing the existence
> of those driver files."
>




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