EFFector 22.31: "Hall of Shame" Calls Out Bogus Internet Censorship EFFector Vol. 22, No. 31 October 29, 2009 editor@eff.org A Publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation ISSN 1062-9424 : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : In our 522nd issue: * "Hall of Shame" Calls Out Bogus Internet Censorship Websites like YouTube have ushered in a new era of creativity and free speech on the Internet, but not everyone is celebrating. Some of the web's most interesting content has been yanked from popular websites with bogus copyright claims or other spurious legal threats. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has launched its "Takedown Hall of Shame" to call attention to particularly bogus takedowns -- and showcase the amazing online videos and other creative works that someone doesn't want you to see. Hall of Shame: https://www.eff.org/takedowns For the full press release: https://www.eff.org/press/archives/2009/10/27 : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : EFF Updates * UK and Three Strikes: What Not to Do in an Election Year The arbitrary termination of Internet access for repeated accusations of copyright infringement "three strikes" is as profoundly unpopular in the UK as it is elsewhere. National experts have generally come out against the idea, from government civil servants who previously omitted it from a public consultation document as too drastic, to the counter-intelligence MI5 unit, which apparently fears it will encourage an encrypted and unpoliceable darknet, to many of the artists it is supposed to protect. Net users are aghast at such a disproportionate and ineffective scheme, and 70% of Britons came out against it in a recent poll. Nonetheless, UK Business secretary Peter Mandelson stated explicitly that he intends to include three strikes in the upcoming digital economy bill. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/10/uk-and-three-strikes-what-not-do-election-year * Prepaid Providers Seek to Put Locks on Your Phone and Their Hands in Your Pocket As the deadline nears for a decision from the Copyright Office on EFF's request for a renewal of the 2006 exemption from DMCA liability for handset unlocking, prepaid phone companies have opened a new front in the war on consumer choice with a bill called the Wireless Prepaid Access Device Enforcement Act of 2009. If passed, this legislation would make it a crime to purchase or "handle" a prepaid handset for the purpose of modifying the software that ties it to the network, or to sell the handset outside of the United States. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/10/prepaid-providers-locks-your-phone-hands-pockets * EFF Urges Court to Ensure Fairness in Google Book Search Amendment Process EFF has led a coalition of authors, publishers, companies and nonprofit organizations in sending a letter to the judge overseeing the Google Book Search settlement requesting adequate notice of, and sufficient time to study and comment on, any amended settlement agreement that Google, the Authors Guild, and the Association of American Publishers present. The original Fairness Hearing scheduled for October 7, 2009, was put off because of what the Court called "significant issues, as demonstrated not only by the number of objections, but also by the fact that the objectors include countries, states, non-profit organizations, and prominent authors and law professors." The letter: https://www.eff.org/files/Chin%20Timing%20Letter%20102209.pdf The full Deep Link: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/10/eff-urges-court-ensure-fairness-google-book-search * Ninth Circuit Grants Stay in EFF Case Seeking Telecom Lobbying Documents The Ninth Circuit postposed a court-ordered deadline for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Justice to turn over documents concerning a legislative push to give telecom carriers legal immunity for their participation in the government's warrantless surveillance program. The order comes after three unsuccessful attempts by the government to delay disclosure of the documents under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) pending the Solicitor General's decision on whether or not to appeal. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/10/update-ninth-circuit-grants-stay-eff-case-seeking- * Cook County Sheriff Loses Craigslist "Erotic Services" Ads Case A federal court tossed out a lawsuit against craigslist over erotic advertisements. In March, Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart alleged that craigslist was liable for the illegal ads posted by its users in its "erotic services" (now "adult services") category. As craigslist argued in its motion for judgement on the pleading, and as EFF and others pointed out at the time, Dart's complaint had virtually no chance of success because Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act plainly immunized Internet intermediaries like craigslist from civil liability for material posted by third parties. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/10/cook-county-sheriff-loses-case-against-craigslist * Is Net Neutrality an FCC Trojan Horse? Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski has unveiled draft rules aimed at imposing network neutrality obligations on Internet Service Providers (ISPs). In the excitement surrounding the announcement, however, many have overlooked the fact that this rulemaking is built on a shoddy and dangerous foundation the idea that the FCC has unlimited authority to regulate the Internet. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/09/net-neutrality-fcc-perils-and-promise * : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : miniLinks ~ CIA Invests in Social Network Monitoring Watch what you tweet! Intelligence agencies are investing in new tech to monitor and archive public activity on blogs and social networks. http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/10/exclusive-us-spies-buy-stake-in-twitter-blog-monitoring-firm ~ NYT Op-Ed: A Win For Free Speech The Times Editorial Board on why the Craigslist win in federal court matters. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/opinion/27tue3.html?_r=1 ~ Resisting Corporate Bullying on the Net EFF Fellow Cory Doctorow on how and why to stand up to bogus DMCA takedowns and other forms of censorship. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/oct/20/corporate-bullying-internet-users-resist : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : Announcements * Visit EFF at LISA '09 in Baltimore! Stop by the EFF booth at the 23rd Large Installation System Administration Conference in Baltimore, MD! The conference begins on 11/1, and the EFF booth will be open on Wednesday, 11/4, and Thursday, 11/5. Be sure to check out special conference registration discounts: http://www.usenix.org/events/lisa09/discounts.html Location: Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Grand Ballroom Salons VIX 700 Aliceanna Street Baltimore, MD 21202 Exhibit Hall Hours: Wednesday, November 4: 12-7 PM Thursday, November 5: 10-2 PM For More Information: http://www.usenix.org/events/lisa09 * Vote for EFF on Credo's 2009 Donations Ballot Each year, the progressive phone service provider Credo polls its members to figure out how to distribute donation funds to various non-profits. The size of the donation is proportional to how many votes the organization gets, so every vote for EFF counts! If you've taken a Credo action alert, or if you're a Credo mobile, Credo long distance, or Working Assets credit card customer, then supporting EFF is easy -- simply log in and vote for the Electronic Frontier Foundation now: http://act.credoaction.com/voting/login.html * "The Future of DVD" Happy Hour/Panel, Monday November 9 at 5:30 pm Mark your calendars for a panel discussion on the future of DVD on Monday, November 9, at 5:30 p.m. at Varnish Gallery in San Francisco. Panelists include Kaleidescape CEO Michael Malcolm and Real Networks Vice President and General Counsel Bill Way. The panel will be moderated by EFF Senior Staff Attorney Fred von Lohmann. Come enjoy a hosted bar and learn about Hollywood's ongoing attack on consumer rights! Varnish is located in SoMa at 77 Natoma St. in San Francisco. For more information, or to RSVP, please email events@eff.org. : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : Administrivia EFFector is published by: The Electronic Frontier Foundation http://www.eff.org/about Editor: Eva Galperin, Referral Coordinator eva@eff.org Membership & donation queries: membership@eff.org To support EFF: http://links.eff.org/emaildonate General EFF, legal, policy, or online resources queries: information@eff.org Back issues of EFFector are available at: http://www.eff.org/effector/
