   April 24, 2005 - April 30, 2005 ArchiveApril 28, 2005Kids Like Cattle? Deploying RFID in America
Scientific American with an editorial on the disturbing prospect of RFIDs for people-tracking.
Breaking the Stupidity Pact
Prof. James Boyle with a splendidly clear column on the evidence-free zone in which we create intellectual property policy.
Bridging the Other Digital Divide
Michael Geist on the recent WIPO meetings and the differing ways IP policy affects developed and developing nations.
When the Crypto Walls Fall
The Jericho Forum, a European security consortium, is pushing for the repeal
of remaining laws forbidding the use of encryption. Its members include
Shell, Boeing, and Cable & Wireless.
The Anniversary of the Commons
The Free Culture movement, the international student movement that "defends
the digital commons," turned a year old on April 23rd. Here's where you can join a local chapter, or start your own.
Dmitry Karma?
Nikon encrypts part of its cameras' lossless raw output format. The encryption
is pretty simple (it was cracked within a few days by Linux developer Dave
Coffin), but it has Adobe developers breaking a sweat about violating the DMCA
if they reverse-engineer it for Photoshop.
While We're on the Subject of Karma
Whereas Verizon stood up for its customers' privacy rights, rival Comcast turned over a customer's name to the RIAA -- without court authorization. Now the customer is suing.
What's Broadcast in the Las Vegas Metro Area, Stays in the Las Vegas Metro Area
IBM and Fox are cooperating on a modified "local" broadcast flag that will let devices that read or receive TV content use digital broadcasts to identify themselves as part of a home broadcast market.
Is That a Cell Phone In Your Pocket, Or...
The cell phone industry is gearing up to introduce its own content ratings, apparently to head off FCC rumblings that it may extend its indecency jihad to your phone.
April 27, 2005Head of Patent Office Pushes for Reform
More examiners, first-to-file grants, and post-grant review of patents were some of the reforms listed by Jon Dudas in recent Senate testimony.
Border Security, Light on the Chips
Congress is revisiting whether many other countries should be required either to use RFID chips in their passports or get visas before traveling to the US.
Celera Gives it Away
The human genome, that is. The private company has abandoned its attempts to sell subscriptions to human DNA data and will instead place the info in the public domain.
Bahrain - Washing the Internet
The country has issued a policy that appears to require any website dealing with Bahrain to register with the Ministry of Information. Students and reporters have launched a protest.
Company Settles GPL Suit by Opening Code
Fortinet, a security company, has settled a suit brought by the founder of GPL-Violations.org by agreeing to open much of its code. This is the latest in a string of victories for the GPL watchdog website.
More Apple Dissection
This time it's the LA Times' Michael Hitzik with a clear, trenchant examination of Apple's unfortunate fight against free speech.
President Signs Family Entertainment and Copyright Act
The new law allows companies like ClearPlay to make user-empowering DVD player/editors while increasing criminal copyright penalties. We break it down here.
Trademark Dilution Act Passes House
Now it's in the Senate, and you can help us fight it by sending a letter to your Senators now!
The Return of miniLinks
I'm back in the saddle after a week at WIPO and a stolen laptop. Here comes more of what's happening online in byte-sized pieces of HTML.
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