Ok more controversy for you guys, and once again it’s the UK leading a new initiative. This time it’s not against making hacking tools illegal, it’s against people downloading ‘pirated’ content from the Internet (using torrent sites etc.).

I do hope they can differentiate using torrents to download open source software or creative commons music and videos from the real copyrighted material. They will be basically terminating any Internet suspected of breaching copyright through file-sharing. ISP’s who fail to integrate the initiative will be liable to legal action.

It’ll be a three-strike and out system, first instance a warning, second a suspension and third finally termination.

People in the UK who go online and illegally download music and films may have their internet access cut under plans the government is considering. A draft consultation suggests internet service providers would be required to take action over users who access pirated material via their accounts.

But the government is stressing that plans are at an early stage and it is still working on final proposals.Six million people a year are estimated to download files illegally in the UK.

“The content and proposals for the strategy have been significantly developed since then and a comprehensive plan to bolster the UK’s creative industries will be published shortly,” it added.

It’s pretty worrying I think, is the UK becoming a new homeground for RIAA and MPAA? Much like the US, land of Digital Restrictions Management (DRM). I think intellectual property and copyright should be taken seriously..

But perhaps they should look at the quality of music and movies the ‘entertainment’ industry is producing, the amount they are charging and do a bit of introspection. If a movie is really good people WILL go to the cinema. If an album is good (not 2 good songs and 11 fillers) they will buy the original.

The BPI, the trade body that represents the UK record industry, said internet providers had “done little or nothing to address illegal downloading via their networks”.

“This is the number one issue for the creative industries in the digital age, and the government’s willingness to tackle it should be applauded,” said BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor.

“Now is not the time for ISPs to hide behind bogus privacy arguments, or claim the problem is too complicated or difficult to tackle.”

I’m sorry but how is the ISP going to do packet inspection for every single packet traversing it’s network, then do some kind of hash check on a bunch of combined packets in a stream (only when it’s not encrypted of course) to verify it is copyright content. You can go dropping people from their ISP because they are downloading the latest version of Ubuntu using a torrent.

Source: BBC News

There seems to be have been some slight relaxation on the DMCA regulations lately, which is a good thing for the majority of people!

There have been many grey cases and sadly most have fallen on the side of the big corporations, finally something on our side!

The U.S. Copyright Office specified new rules Wednesday allowing cellphone owners to hack software designed to prevent them from using their phones on competing carriers. Retrogaming enthusiasts will also be permitted to crack copy protection on abandoned titles, albeit for “archival” purposes only.

I think it’s perfectly reasonable, if I buy a peice of hardware or whatever I should completely own it and be able to use it for whatever I want, I shouldn’t be limited by the company that sold it to me.

And Abandonware is ok!

And thankfully a thumbs up for educators too.

The rules also allow teachers to copy “snippets” from DVDs for educational compilations, and confer the right to have third-party software read copy-protected electronic books –if you’re blind.

The Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) has been held to crimizalize circumvention of any kind of software protection, even in the pursuit of applications that would have previously been considered fair use. There is at least one ongoing legal action concerning recycled cell phones based on this law, according to Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. But not after today.

You can see the full list of 6 exemptions here.

Source: Wired Blog