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In our 703rd issue:
EFF has discovered that critics have Kazakhstan’s government have been systematically targeted by a phishing and malware campaign. Based on the evidence available, we believe that the government itself is behind the attack.
Colombian graduate student Diego Gomez shared another student’s Master’s thesis with colleagues over the Internet. That simple act—something that many people all over the world do every day—put Diego at risk of spending years in prison. Closing arguments in Diego’s trial are scheduled for this week.
When laws punish intellectual curiosity, everyone suffers; not just researchers, but also the people who would benefit from their research. Please join us in standing with Diego; together, we can fight for a time when everyone can access and share the world’s research.
EFF Updates
DRM: You Have the Right to Know What You’re Buying
EFF and a coalition of organizations and individuals are asking the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to require retailers to warn you when the products you buy come locked down by DRM (digital rights management). We think that customers have the right to know when they’re buying something with technical restrictions built in.
Copyright Office Jumps Into Set-Top Box Debate, Says Hollywood Should Control Your TV
The FCC has proposed a rule change that would allow pay TV customers choose devices and apps from anywhere rather than being forced to use the box and associated software provided by the cable company. Major entertainment companies are trying to derail the effort with misleading arguments about copyright law.
Victory! Oregon Supreme Court Agrees that Violating a Company Rule is Not a Computer Crime
Violating a company rule is not—and should not be—a computer crime. Some prosecutors are trying to use statutes targeting computer break-ins in order to enforce employer policies, but the Oregon Supreme Court is not buying it.
What to Do About Lawless Government Hacking and the Weakening of Digital Security
When governments hack computers for law enforcement purposes, it can directly impact everyone’s digital security. It’s time for a public discussion on whether, when, and how governments can be empowered to break into our computers, phones, and other devices.
Protecting the Fourth Amendment in the Information Age: A Response to Robert Litt
There’s a debate taking place over how the Fourth Amendment should be interpreted in the Internet age. Some commentators insist that Constitutional privacy protections don’t apply to most mass surveillance. Such arguments ignore the reasons why we have a Fourth Amendment in the first place.
First Aereo, Now FilmOn: Another Fight for Innovation and Competition in TV Technology
Once again, big media companies are trying to use copyright law to stop new startups. This time, FilmOn is fighting in multiple lawsuits around the U.S. for the right to capture local TV broadcasts and stream them to paying subscribers.
Stupid Patent of the Month: Solocron Education Trolls With Password Patent
A company called Solocron is filing lawsuits left and right over its “verification system” for educational content. What kind of verification system does Solocron claim to have invented? Passwords.
Bipartisan Caucus Launches in the House to Defend Fourth Amendment
On matters implicating privacy, Congress has too often failed to fulfill its responsibilities. By neglecting to examine basic facts and deferring to executive agencies whose secrets preclude meaningful debate, lawmakers have allowed proposals that undermine constitutional rights to repeatedly become enshrined in law. With the recent launch of a new bipartisan Fourth Amendment Caucus in the House, the Constitution has gained a formidable ally.
miniLinks
Want Cheaper Internet Access? Hand Over Your Privacy (LA Times)
EFF Senior Attorney Lee Tien criticizes the “pay-for-privacy” model for Internet service.
Private Interests Don’t Override the Law—in Music Publishing, Cable Boxes, or Anywhere Else (Public Knowledge)
Public Knowledge reports on a common problem: copyright holders believing that their private licensing agreements can supersede legal protections.
Dear US Olympic Committee: Tweeting About The Olympics Is Never Trademark Infringement (Techdirt)
Remember the NFL trying to tell companies that they couldn’t use the term “Super Bowl”? Now the Olympic Committee is getting in on the absurdity.
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Administrivia
Editor:
Elliot Harmon, Activist
editor@eff.org
EFFector is a publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
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