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Category Archives: Digital Rights

Creative Commons Launches Online Copyright Licenses

Creative Commons, the non-profit organization whose focus is providing workable alternatives to current copyright laws for the digital world, has created a new public domain copyright license for web content. See their press release here, and read about how the licensing process works from the perspective of an early adopter, pioneering attorney/blogger Denise Howell. Continue Reading

ElcomSoft eBook Case Documents

Cryptome.org purchased copies of court documents from the USA v. Elcom ebook copyright case and has made them available at no fee here. A jury found the Russian software company not guilty on December 16, 2002. See also this News.com article for more details about the decision, as well as the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s (EFF)… Continue Reading

Comments Filed with FCC on Copyright Protection

The non-profit Center for Democrary & Technology is involved in keeping discussions of digital copyright issues front and center. The organization filed comments with the FCC concerning the escalating controvery over proposed copy protection systems for digital TV broadcasts for coypyright holders. They support the position that there must be a balance of the discretionary… Continue Reading

DVD Copying Controversy Escalates

321 Studios has chosen to play David to Motion Picture Association of America’s Goliath in the legal arena. This small company has released a software application for $99.99 that allows purchasers to easily make copies of DVD movies to blank DVDs. The MPA contends that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 prevents 321 Studios… Continue Reading

Tech Law and Public Policy

The Samuelson Law, Technology and Public Policy Clinic at Boalt Hall is actively involved in educational efforts focused on privacy law, digital rights management and copyright issues. The site maintains a BriefBank, to which public interest groups and legal scholars contribute briefs on law, technology and public policy. The site has a basic search engine… Continue Reading

CDs and Copy Protection

The battle between music CD publishers and consumers who are burning copies will continue unabated, due to quickly applied modifications in CD technology. This is according to Princeton University computer science student Alex Halderman, whose expertise on the subject has been widely acknowledged (check out his resume!) Alex will present his paper, Evaluating New Copy-Prevention… Continue Reading

Impediments to Digital Rights Controls

An interesting interview with Jeffrey Hunker, dean of the H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University that focuses on what is at stake in the battle over digital rights management from the perspective of consumers and industry. Privacy, security, and revenue are key factors. Continue Reading