Gee, REAL ID may be repealed. :) PGA
-------- Forwarded Message -------- > From: EFFector list <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: EFFector list <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: EFFector 20.15: Action Alert - Visit StopIllegalSpying.org > and Fight the Abuse of Surveillance Powers! > Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2007 11:00:28 -0500 (CDT) > > EFFector Vol. 20, No. 15 April 16, 2007 [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > A Publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation > ISSN 1062-9424 > > In the 420th Issue of EFFector: > > * Action Alert - Visit StopIllegalSpying.org and Fight the > Abuse of Surveillance Powers! > * EFF Sues Justice Department for Immediate Release of NSL > Abuse Records > * OPEN Government Act Heads to Senate Floor > * Recording Industry Target Deserves Day in Court > * Washington Rejects REAL ID > * A Win for Kids' Free Speech Rights > * AACS Key Revocation: The Future of DRM? > * Dontdatehimgirl Suit Dismissed > * RIAA and MPAA Try to Gut Anti-Pretexting Bill > * More Ludicrous Marketing Claims About P2P Filtering > * EFF Seeks Intake Coordinator > * miniLinks (13): George Orwell's Predictions Come Home > * Administrivia > > For more information on EFF activities & alerts: > <http://www.eff.org/> > > Make a donation and become an EFF member today! > <http://eff.org/support/> > > Tell a friend about EFF: > http://action.eff.org/site/Ecard?ecard_id=1061 > > effector: n, Computer Sci. A device for producing a desired > change. > > : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : > > * Action Alert - Visit StopIllegalSpying.org and Fight the > Abuse of Surveillance Powers! > > Last year, letters from individuals like you helped beat > back legislation that could have swept the illegal NSA > spying program under the rug and let companies off the hook > for illegally assisting the government. But the Bush > Administration is at it again, pushing a new bill that > could radically expand surveillance powers and threaten > cases like EFF's lawsuit against AT&T. > > With the Senate Intelligence Committee taking up this topic > on Tuesday, your representatives need to know that your > concerns haven't gone away. Congress must reject this > legislation and take immediate action to stop the illegal > spying. > > Make your voice heard now by visiting: > <http://www.stopillegalspying.org> > > StopIllegalSpying.org is a new site set up by EFF and a > broad coalition of groups fighting for your privacy and the > rule of law. With your help, we can press Congress to do > its job and restore the checks and balances that define our > democracy. Please help spread the word about the site to > friends and family, and post our site's graphic on your > website or blog. > > Send a letter to your representatives now: > <http://www.stopillegalspying.org> > > For more information about EFF's suit against AT&T: > <http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/att> > > : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : > > * EFF Sues Justice Department for Immediate Release of NSL > Abuse Records > > Public Needs Critical Information About FBI's Abuse of > Surveillance Power > > Washington, D.C. - The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) > has asked a judge to issue an emergency order requiring the > FBI to immediately release agency records about its abuse > of National Security Letters (NSLs) to collect Americans' > personal information. > > Congressional hearings and a storm of media coverage > followed a recent Justice Department report detailing the > FBI's extensive misuse of NSLs -- requests through which > federal agents may collect telephone, Internet, financial, > credit, and other personal records about Americans without > judicial approval. The report and the ensuing uproar also > sparked the introduction of a bill in the House of > Representatives to curb the Bureau's NSL authority. In a > lawsuit filed under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), > EFF demands that the FBI release all information about NSL > abuse without delay, so that the records can be part of the > national debate about domestic surveillance. > > "Congress has already dedicated several hearings to the > FBI's abuse of investigative power and is thinking about > how to prevent such abuses in the future," said EFF Staff > Attorney Marcia Hofmann. "But if there is going to be > meaningful debate about this issue, we need more > information than what the Administration chooses to make > public, and we need it now." > > The Department of Justice has already agreed that the > records should be disclosed quickly due to the exceptional > media attention and the questions the NSL report has raised > about the government's integrity. However, despite this > recognition, the Bureau has failed to meet the 20-day time > limit that Congress set for requests that do not merit fast > processing. > > EFF's FOIA request asks for all FBI records discussing or > reporting violations of current law, guidelines, or > policies, as well as any communications discussing various > potential interpretations of current federal investigative > power. EFF also demands copies of the contracts between the > FBI and three telephone companies, which were intended to > allow the FBI to get rapid access to telephone records. > > "There are a lot of questions right now about the > government's integrity when it comes to domestic > surveillance. The FBI must follow the law and release these > records to the public," said EFF Senior Counsel David > Sobel. > > For the FOIA complaint: > <http://www.eff.org/flag/nsl/nsl_complaint.pdf> > > For the motion for a preliminary injunction: > <http://www.eff.org/flag/nsl/pi_final.pdf> > > For more on EFF's FLAG Project: > <http://www.eff.org/flag/> > > For this release: > <http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2007_04.php#005196> > > : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : > > * OPEN Government Act Heads to Senate Floor > > Legislation that would help protect the public's right to > know is one step closer to passing. The Senate Judiciary > Committee has marked up the OPEN Government Act, which > would provide some much needed updates to the Freedom of > Information Act (FOIA). The bill now heads to the Senate > floor, and a similar bill has already passed in the House. > > Keep up the momentum and tell your representatives to pass > this bill now: > <http://action.eff.org/site/Advocacy?id=285> > > : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : > > * Recording Industry Target Deserves Day in Court > > RIAA Must Face Consequences of Meritless File-Sharing > Lawsuits > > San Francisco - The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) > has filed a brief with a New York district court, urging a > judge to allow the target of a recording industry lawsuit > to fight back with counterclaims of his own. > > The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has > already moved to dismiss copyright infringement claims > against Rolando Amurao. However, Amurao alleges that the > RIAA's case is meritless and intended to harass him, so he > has countersued for a declaration of non-infringement and a > finding of RIAA copyright misuse. In its amicus brief, EFF > argues that giving Amurao his day in court increases RIAA > accountability in the industry's broad lawsuit campaign > against file sharing. > > "If Amurao's allegations are true, then he has the right to > clear his name," said EFF Staff Attorney Corynne McSherry. > "It's simply unfair to shield copyright owners from the > consequences of careless lawsuits. Counterclaims like > Amurao's help make sure that the RIAA can't simply dismiss > its case and walk away when an innocent target fights > back." > > The RIAA has sued thousands of individuals for allegedly > sharing music over the Internet since its campaign began in > 2003. But sloppy investigative methods have left innocent > people entangled in expensive and draining legal > proceedings. When the RIAA threatens someone with a > lawsuit, it offers to settle the case for a carefully > chosen sum that is smaller than the legal fees required to > fight the accusations. Faced with this choice, some > innocent people settle simply because it's the most > affordable option. However, a few individuals like Amurao > have decided to battle the RIAA in court. In one Oklahoma > case, EFF provided amicus support to an innocent target of > a file sharing lawsuit who is fighting to have the RIAA > reimburse her attorneys' fees. > > For the full amicus brief: > <http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/lava_v_amurao/lava_amicus.pdf> > > For more on the RIAA's lawsuit campaign: > <http://www.eff.org/IP/P2P/riaa-v-thepeople.php> > > For this release: > <http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2007_04.php#005195> > > : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : > > * Washington Rejects REAL ID > > The state of Washington recently passed legislation > rejecting implementation of the costly, privacy-invasive > REAL ID Act. REAL ID essentially forces states to create a > national ID, requiring standardization of drivers' licenses > and the creation of a vast national database linking all of > the ID records together. Thankfully, there's a growing > chorus of opposition to this misguided federal mandate -- > Washington is the fourth state to reject its > implementation, and Congress is considering repealing it. > > Learn more about REAL ID and take action to stop it here: > <http://action.eff.org/site/Advocacy?id=275> > > : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : > > * A Win for Kids' Free Speech Rights > > A ruling in the Indiana Court of Appeals last week gave a > middle school student her free speech rights back. > > The girl, who is called "A.B." in the court record, had > posted comments on a MySpace page criticizing her school's > policy on body piercings. The post was full of expletives, > which a judge ruled ""obscene" despite the lack of any > sexual content. The girl was found to be a "delinquent > child" and was put on probation for nine months. > > However, the girl appealed the ruling, arguing that her > post was protected political speech. A three-judge panel > agreed: "While we have little regard for A.B.'s use of > vulgar epithets, we conclude that her overall message > constitutes political speech." The judges threw out the > "delinquent child" finding, holding that the lower court's > conclusion "contravened her right to speak." > > A lot of media coverage focuses on the perceived dangers > for kids on the Internet. But, expletives or not, this case > shows how students use the web to discuss issues of > importance to them. It's heartening that judges like these > see the importance as well. > > For this post and related links: > <http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/005198.php> > > : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : > > * AACS Key Revocation: The Future of DRM? > > The AACS encryption scheme that restricts Blu-ray and HD > DVD discs was thoroughly cracked several months ago. These > vulnerabilities had their roots in several software > players, including Corel's InterVideo WinDVD. Now Corel is > doing what the AACS regime requires them to do -- revoking > the existing keys, fixing the vulnerabilities, and > requiring existing users to upgrade or be disabled when > they insert a new disc that "blacklists" their existing > software. > > LA Times reporter Jon Healey has done a nice summary of > what this will mean for consumers on his blog, Bit Player > (and it's worth reading the whole thing): > > "The process of revoking software is a blunt instrument; > everyone using WinDVD and PowerDVD will be affected, > regardless of whether they traded bootlegged high-def > movies, made back-up copies for personal use or merely > played the high-def movies they bought or rented on their > PCs." > > Because this "revoke and blacklist" approach is a standard > feature of next-generation DRM systems, legitimate > consumers are increasingly going to have something to fear > from "upgrades" and "blacklists" hidden in the media they > legitimately purchase. (Of course, no blacklists are > embedded in the versions downloaded from P2P, giving > consumers yet another incentive to prefer the Darknet.) > > Read Healey's article: > <http://opinion.latimes.com/bitplayer/2007/04/hackers_v_holly.html> > > Engadget explains why the WinDVD patch won't actually stop > ripping of HD-DVD discs, thanks to the thorough compromise > of the Xbox HD-DVD drives: > <http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/10/aacs-hacked-to-expose-volume-id-windvd-patch-irrelevant/> > > For this post and related links: > <http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/005197.php> > > : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : > > * Dontdatehimgirl Suit Dismissed > > A Pennsylvania judge has dismissed a lawsuit against the > controversial website DontDateHimGirl.com, ruling that he > did not have jurisdiction over the Florida-based site. > > But the jurisdiction question was not the only problem with > this suit. Dontdatehimgirl is a forum created for women to > share information about men, and the plaintiff in this case > claims that participants posted defamatory statements about > him. EFF filed an amicus brief in support of > Dontdatehimgirl in December, arguing that the site cannot > be held liable for comments written by others under Section > 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Section 230 > specifically protects hosts of interactive computer > services from liability and is key to fostering free > discourse online. Without Section 230, no one would risk > creating a website where others could post opinions. > > It's important to note that the claims against the people > who posted the messages in the first place still stand. If > any defamation occurred, it's the speakers who should bear > the responsibility, not the soapbox. > > The plaintiff in this case has not decided if he will > refile the Dontdatehim girl suit in Florida. However, if he > does, he will have to take on Section 230 and the strong > protections it provides to Internet hosts of vigorous > online debate. > > For this post and related links: > <http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/005194.php> > > : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : > > * RIAA and MPAA Try to Gut Anti-Pretexting Bill > > Remember the Hewlett-Packard pretexting scandal of last > year? Private investigators hired by HP obtained phone > records of journalists and its own board members by > pretending to be the individuals themselves. The scandal > was the catalyst for a congressional investigation, and > some California lawmakers decided consumers needed more > protection from these privacy violations. State Sen. Ellen > Corbett introduced SB 328, a bill that would ban the use of > false statements and other misleading practices to get > personal information. > > Good news for Californians, right? Not if the entertainment > industry has anything to say about it. The RIAA and the > MPAA are reportedly lobbying legislators for amendments to > the bill. According to the Los Angeles Times, those > amendments would allow pretexting if a company was trying > to enforce its intellectual property rights. EFF Senior > Staff Attorney Fred von Lohmann believes this carve-out > would gut the bill altogether. As he said in the Times > article, "I don't see why the recording industry shouldn't > have to follow the same laws that everyone else follows.... > It appears they want to make the loophole so big that > nobody else has to follow the law, either." > > Copyright shouldn't trump privacy. We hope the California > State Senate agrees. > > For the LA Times story: > <http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-pretext7apr07,1,1936238.story> > > For this post and related links: > <http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/005191.php> > > : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : > > * More Ludicrous Marketing Claims About P2P Filtering > > A few years ago, EFF debunked an anti-P2P packet filtering > technology sold by Audible Magic. Twice. The notion that > universities can just buy a piece of software to end file > sharing on their networks forever is false. But it keeps > coming back. > > The latest product of this sort is from a company called > SafeMedia. As we explain here, its website makes some > highly misleading claims about what filtering can > accomplish: > <http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/005189.php> > > : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : > > * EFF Seeks Intake Coordinator > > The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), an Internet civil > liberties nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, is > seeking a full-time intake coordinator. EFF receives many > requests for legal and other help from the public for > Internet-related issues. The intake coordinator screens and > gives initial responses to everyone who asks for our > assistance. > > Our offices are located in the heart of San Francisco's > Mission District. This person will support a dedicated > staff of lawyers, technologists and activists. The > environment is fast-paced, our mission is cutting edge, and > EFF's staff is very smart and fun to work with. > > Applicant must have general computer skills and knowledge > of the Internet. Experience with basic legal issues and > familiarity with EFF and our specific issues are also very > helpful. This person must have great interpersonal skills, > compassion and a sense of humor. > > Duties include: > > Greeting visitors > Answering general organizational telephone and email > inquiries > Performing legal case intake and referrals > Managing database of cooperating attorneys and > technologists > Coordinating volunteers and part-time staff for support > projects > Assisting staff with assorted administrative tasks > > Salary mid '30s plus good benefits package. EOE, we > encourage diverse applicants to apply. Please email only > resume and cover letter to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Position > available immediately. No phone calls please! > > : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : > > * miniLinks > The week's noteworthy news, compressed. > > ~ George Orwell's Predictions Come Home > How many CCTVs are there around the author of 1984's old > house? > <http://www.tjmcintyre.com/2007/04/eric-blair-watched-by-tony-blair.html> > > ~ Entertainment IPREDators > How IPRED2 is seen in Italy. > <http://mana.acheronte.it/blog/?p=24> > > ~ China's Latest Export: Web Censorship > How one major player is shifting Web blocking. > <http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/china/article1352239.ece> > > ~ Harold Feld's "Impossibly Long" Field Guide to the 700 > MHz Auction > A really not very long explanation of an important issue. > <http://www.wetmachine.com/item/741> > > ~ Lorne Michaels Wishes NBC Would Put More of SNL on > YouTube > Viacom's Jon Stewart not happy either. > <http://techdirt.com/articles/20070412/012740.shtml> > > ~ The 403 Checker > Scan a large number of URLs and find the ones that your > country bans. > <http://astrubal.nawaat.org/403-access-denied-checker/> > > ~ Twenty-eight Percent of Americans Now Own an HDTV > The clock is ticking for broadcast flag adoption. > <http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/04/13/28-percent-of-americans-now-own-an-hdtv/> > > ~ Australian ISP's Spam Solution: Block Gmail Messages > Another blacklist gone bad. > <http://techdirt.com/articles/20070412/122104.shtml> > > ~ "Aiding and Abetting" Copyright Violations Could Land Our > CEOs in Jail > Euro companies getting worried about IPRED2 > <http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070412-european-isps-aiding-and-abetting-copyright-violations-could-land-our-ceos-in-jail.html> > > ~ Job Opening at the FSF Running Campaigns > Be an activist supporting free software. > <http://www.defectivebydesign.org/blog/973> > > ~ Stanford Launches Database of Copyright Renewal Records > Scanned and preserved: the records of book copyright > registrations between 1950 and 1993. Between 1923-1964, > books needed to appear in this record to have their > copyright renewed. > <http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/014469.html> > > ~ German Police Want the Right to Hack Computers > The ping at the door at 4 o'clock in the morning. > <http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2007/04/german_police_w.html> > > ~ Eyes of Blue Screen > Dodgy iris scanners make fools of "fast track" travelers. > <http://www.no2id.net/news/newsblog/?p=571> > > : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : > > * Administrivia > > EFFector is published by: > > The Electronic Frontier Foundation > 454 Shotwell Street > San Francisco CA 94110-1914 USA > +1 415 436 9333 (voice) > +1 415 436 9993 (fax) > <http://www.eff.org/> > > Editor: > Derek Slater, Activism Coordinator > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Membership & donation queries: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > General EFF, legal, policy, or online resources queries: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Reproduction of this publication in electronic media is > encouraged. Signed articles do not necessarily represent > the views of EFF. To reproduce signed articles > individually, please contact the authors for their express > permission. > Press releases and EFF announcements & articles may be > reproduced individually at will. > > Current and back issues of EFFector are available via the > Web at: > <http://www.eff.org/effector/> > > > This newsletter is printed on 100% recycled electrons. -- [email protected] http://www.kernel-panic.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/kplug-list
