[CLUE-Talk] DMCA News

[Jeffery Cann]

Gentle CLUEbies.

The following story describes one vocal proponent of Digital Rights for 
Americans.

http://www.zdnet.com/filters/printerfriendly/0,6061,5101325-2,00.html

In his proposal, he would like to reinstate the Fair Use doctrine -- this 
idea (upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1970s) gives folks the right to 
copy things (like photocopies and VHS tapes) for personal uses.

Unfortunately, the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) of 1998 outlawed 
the idea of Fair Use for digital content.  So, everytime you rip a CD into an 
MP3 and reburn it, you are technically breaking section 1201 of the DMCA 
(<sarcasm> I can tell you feel, badly about your lawlessness...</sarcasm>)

Rep Boucher says:

"I'm very concerned about the DMCA," Boucher said. "There's an increasing 
number of instances in which unjust results are reached." 

Yes, I totally agree, so let's support Representative Boucher's efforts to 
restore our rights to make digital copies of media that we LEGALLY obtained 
and own.  Please consider writing your Representatives to express your views.

http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Jeff