   June 2004 ArchiveJune 30, 2004Comcast Now Serves 35% Less Spam
They had to block port 25 for all users, but it seems to be working. Until, of course, the spammers figure out that they should use a different port. Anyone care to guess how long it will take? Nobody?
Steve Winwood and Access Hollywood Use P2P for Promotion
The odd couple is using free P2P systems like KaZaA and Gnutella to promote Winwood's new project.
Canadian ISPs Not Responsible for Music Royalties
Record companies, unwilling to negotiate a licensing system with the public, were rebuked in Canada when they tried to extract royalties from ISPs.
California Re-Certifies Some E-Voting Machines
The machines will be deployed under heightened security, so several counties will now be able to use them in the November elections.
June 29, 2004A DRM Forest and the Beastie Boys' Tree
International debate rages over the comparative nastiness of the trio's latest CD.
Picketing the UK iTunes Music Store?
British fans are angry about the lack of independent labels in the recently launched UK version of the downloading service. In protest, they're making community playlists with pleas to add more labels - and then voting them to the top of the iTunes charts. Priceless.
An "Obsessive" Reply to the Induce Act
Don't worry - it only looks crazy. Ernest Miller has produced an exceedingly detailed rebuttal to some of the nonsense spouted by Senator Hatch in a preemptive defense of the Induce Act.
June 28, 2004The Social Effects of Strong IP Enforcement
Our friends at the Consumer Project on Technology (CPTech) recently filed comments with WIPO on how IP rights enforcement can be harmful to society.
June 25, 2004RIAA Suits Received Coolly in Canada
File sharing is getting more popular in Canada, even as the RIAA continues to sue people south of the border.
Even E-Voting Supporters Say Tests Are Inadequate
Computer scientists from all sides of the issue are criticizing the shoddy testing procedures that are supposed to ensure security in e-voting.
Collective Licensing in the NY Times
And even better, Kembrew McLeod advocates a P2P payment plan that involves voluntary licensing - the flavor that EFF supports.
June 24, 2004Interview with a DMCA Reformer
Rep. Rick Boucher - the man behind H.R. 107, the Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act - talks to CNET.
Fighting Internet Filtering in PA
The Center for Democracy and Technology is taking a stand against a Pennsylvania law that requires ISP to use flawed filtering technology.
Yet Another TSA Cover-Up
The acting head of TSA told Congress that even more airlines were involved in secret transfers of private passenger data in 2002 and 2003. This admission raises the possibility that TSA withheld information from Congress and other government officials while violating the Privacy Act.
Rallying the Troops for DMCA Reform
The Personal Technology Freedom Coalition, formed to support Rep. Rick Boucher's DMCA-reform bill H.R. 107, includes EFF, Public Knowledge, Intel, Sun, Verizon, and others.
Laughing at the Broadcast Flag - to Keep from Crying
The Masked Engineer skewers the FCC's maddeningly ill-conceived broadcast flag.
Felten On Universities and P2P
The good professor has more great advice for schools pressured to adopt technical "solutions" to P2P on campus.
More Reasons to Oppose the Induce Act
Julian Portillo's take on the Induce Act is spot-on, and he's only 17.
June 22, 2004Papers, Please
The Supreme Court recently upheld a Nevada law that makes it a crime to remain silent if a police officer asks for your identity.
RIAA's Broken Record Plays On
More new lawsuits that aren't newsworthy unless your beat is "stubborn industries banging their heads against the wall."
June 21, 2004Beastie Boys Put Use-Restrictions on New Album
The irreverent trio's long-awaited CD slips computers a DRM mickey.
Technology Policy As Election Issue
Michael Geist's most recent column rates the political parties in Canada on copyright, spam, and other tech issues, as preparation for next week's election.
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Posted at 08:11 AM by Ren Bucholz | Permalink | Other Links:
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June 18, 2004Online Movie Downloads Highlight Appeal of Infringement
One user thinks that Hollywood's approach to the Internet is enough to drive people to piracy.
June 16, 2004Tim Berners-Lee Awarded Large Wad of Cash
Oh, and the Millennium Technology Prize, which recognizes technologists who've dramatically improved the quality of life. This article points out that much of the Web-inventor's impact stems from his decision to forego patent protection on his ideas.
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Posted at 03:24 PM by Ren Bucholz | Permalink | Other Links:
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FTC Says No to "Do Not Email" List
Pennywise spammers across the globe were disappointed to hear that the large, public database of valid email addresses would not be ready for the holidays.
Election Officials Who Choose Frying Pan Over Fire
Running elections can wear an official out, so it must be nice that cushy jobs at voting equipment companies are often available to former public servants. Plus, they can start pitching their new employer's goods before they're off the government payroll. Brilliant!
June 15, 2004Roasting the WIPO Broadcast Treaty
The Guardian looks at WIPO's proposed broadcasting treaty, arguing that it reads like a "wish-list of everything a failing industry could want to protect it from the future." Spot-on.
June 14, 2004Considering Canadian Copyright Reform
Michael Geist with a thoughtful piece on the direction of Canadian copyright reform.
More on RIAA and Digital Radio
The music industry is still lobbying the FCC for a broadcast flag-like mandate for digital radio, despite the fact that it's a bad idea and, in our view, bound to fail. We're filing comments in the FCC docket to explain why.
Some Libraries Pass on Cash-for-Censorware Program
Libraries that accept certain types of federal funds are unfortunately obligated to install "filtering" software on Net-connected PCs. Now, however, some are refusing this funding because the software too often blocks innocuous sites and is a hassle to maintain.
PATRIOT Progeny Gains Ground on Capitol Hill
The Anti-Terrorism Intelligence Tools Improvement Act of 2003, or HR 3179, would strengthen many of USA PATRIOT's controversial provisions.
Ohio Certifies E-Voting Machine that Produces Paper Ballots
AccuPoll's touchscreen voting machine produces a voter-verifiable paper ballot and is now available for purchase in Ohio.
High Schools Learn About P2P Blocking
Network-monitoring companies like Audible Magic are now peddling their wares in high schools.
June 11, 2004Combine Ballots and Crypto, Mix Well
Inventor David Chaum recently demonstrated an e-voting audit technology that's potentially more reliable than anything that exists today -- and it doesn't use paper.
Microsoft To-Do: Obtain Many Patents, Enforce Them
Big Redmond has embarked on a campaign to obtain and exploit a large number of patents - including one that covers the novel concept of a "to-do" list for coders.
June 10, 2004Harry Potter's Alternate Universe
The whole world may be swooning over the third Harry Potter movie, but a few of us are also getting a kick out of Brad Neely's quirky, unauthorized remix of the first film's soundtrack.
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Posted at 09:21 PM by Ren Bucholz | Permalink | Other Links:
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We Spoke Too Soon
Turns out that CD sales have, at least in the UK, continued to drop despite an increase in authorized downloads. Once again, the link between P2P and the music industry's health seems more complicated than the "pirate"-hunters would have us believe.
IFPI Claims Drop in Number of Songs Available on P2P
The RIAA's international sibling claims that the number of songs available on P2P networks dropped 27% this year. IFPI's methodology is unclear, but this should be a huge boon to CD sales...right?
Record Companies Continue P2P Suits in Europe
The beat goes on...
Breaking Down Government Data Mining
The government is digging through enormous databases - both private and public - for a range of different purposes. This article talks about the number and nature of these projects, and why we should worry about them.
June 07, 2004Big Content Wants Biometrics in Media Players
The movie and music industries are experimenting with a media player that will lock content to a user's fingerprints. Just in case you weren't feeling enough like a criminal.
Iraqis Vies for Control of ".iq" Domain, Iraq
They're petitioning ICANN only for the former.
EU Tries to Put Kibosh on Digital Counterfeiting
A new regulation would force makers of image-editing software to recognize and reject attempts to manipulate currency.
Cities, States Oppose PATRIOT's Games
Wired News on the 300 cities and four states - where 51 million people live - that have passed resolutions opposing the USA PATRIOT Act.
To Cut or to Keep the FCC
That is the question posed by Declan McCullagh in this essay.
Some Fear New Law May Increase Spam
CAN-SPAM is supposed to trash spam, but some fear that it might actually put more junk in your email diet.
Banning Subway Photography to Fight Terrorism?
When you take photos on the train you commute with Bin Laden.
Amateur Videos Targeted by Chinese Government
The Chinese government is cracking down on amateur videos exploring the country's social problems by banning their broadcast or distribution on the Internet.
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Posted at 09:55 AM by Ren Bucholz | Permalink | Other Links:
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Brazil Opens Up to Open Source
Governments around the world are warming up to open source software, and now Brazil's private industries are adopting tools like Linux at astonishing rates.
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Posted at 09:45 AM by Ren Bucholz | Permalink | Other Links:
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June 06, 2004Korea Launches "Clean Internet" Campaign
The government of South Korea, one of the most connected societies in the world, will launch a media blitz against Net-addiction, pornography, and spam.
Music Industry Lowers CD Prices
A nice, short article on some of the reasons for the decision.
June 04, 2004Iceland Supreme Court Freezes DNA Database
The court ruled that Iceland's Health Database Act violates constitutional privacy protections.
Why Google Should Be Good on Privacy
Miguel Helft puts it nicely: Google's "we're not evil" ethos led to its gutsy stand against IPO madness, so why shouldn't it apply those kind of principles to its handling of privacy?
June 03, 2004China Bans Video Game for "Distorting" History
The Swedish-made "Hearts of Iron" depicts several parts of China as independent nations and treats Taiwan as part of Japan.
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Posted at 12:08 AM by Ren Bucholz | Permalink | Other Links:
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Babs Ordered to Pay Legal Fees in Bogus Privacy Suit
Ms. Streisand will pay $177,000 in legal fees after suing a retired software engineer for snapping an aerial photo of the section of California coastline where her house happens to sit.
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