EFFector Vol. 21, No. 17 May 21, 2008 editor@eff.org A Publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation ISSN 1062-9424 : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : In our 470th issue: EFF relaunches the "Line Noise" Podcast, Microsoft cripples its own software, and GOP House Leadership suddenly switches positions on illegal surveillance. * "LINE NOISE," THE EFF PODCAST, is up and running again after a year in hibernation. Finally, a way to stay up-to- date about online civil liberties issues with your eyes closed! We've posted two episodes this week, one on Orphan Works and another on the Broadcast Flag. Check them out: http://www.eff.org/linenoise * USERS OF MICROSOFT WINDOWS VISTA discovered last week that their computers were refusing to record NBC's American Gladiator. When EFF and others raised the issue online, Microsoft responded, confirming that Vista's video recording and reuse abilities have been crippled according to NBC's demands. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/05/microsofts-masters-whose-rules-does-your-media-cen You can hear more about it on the Line Noise podcast: http://www.eff.org/linenoise/conversation-about-broadcast-flag * GOP HOUSE LEADER JOHN BOEHNER has been fighting hard for his own right to protection from illegal wiretapping, even though he's simultaneously trying to deny ordinary Americans the same rights. Oh, and he's earned himself and his attorneys $1.1 million in the process. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/05/boehner-wiretapping : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : >From Deeplinks * AT&T Spent $5.2 Million on Lobbying in the First Quarter of 2008 What does immunity from the law cost these days anyway? http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/05/t-spent-5-2-million-lobbying-first-quarter-2008 * Senators Question FBI About Unlawful Internet Archive Record Demand A group of bipartisan U.S. Senators send FBI Director Mueller a letter demanding answers over an illegitimate National Security Letter (NSL) served on the Internet Archive. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/05/senators-question-fbi-about-unlawful-internet-arch * Score Two for Defendants in the P2P Wars The Music Industry's P2P litigation campaign took two significant legal blows this week. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/05/score-two-defendants-p2p-wars * House Passes Controversial PRO IP Act The PRO IP Act (H.R. 4279) passes the House, giving more fuel to the RIAA's file-sharing lawsuit fire. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/05/house-passes-controversial-pro-ip-act * Release the Orphan Works! The House and the Senate propose new legislation that could potentially return millions of orphaned copyright works back to the cultural commons. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/05/release-orphan-works * The Struggles of France's Three Strikes Law The latest in the content industry's ongoing attempt to keep French citizens accused of copyright infringement off the Internet: http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/05/struggles-frances-three-strikes-law * Knitwit BBC Goes After Dr. Who Fans The BBC demands that Dr. Who crafters cease and desist knitting. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/05/knitwit-bbc-goes-after-dr-who-fans : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : miniLinks The week's noteworthy news, compressed. ~ Media Failing to Probe Candidates on Civil Liberties Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting takes the news media to task for not asking the tough questions of the presidential candidates. http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3370 ~ When Technology Is Designed to Fail "Complexity by design" isn't an accident -- it's a way for providers to maintain control. http://db.tidbits.com/article/9611 ~ Cars that Datamine? Stanford scientists are studying ways to allow cars to collect data on your driving habits. http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/05/a-data-mining-c.html ~ New Site Lists Copyright Takedowns YouTomb compiles a list of all the videos ordered removed from YouTube. http://youtomb.mit.edu/ For more miniLinks: http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/05/minilinks-2008-05-21 : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : Announcements * EFF at Laughing Squid's Lucky 13 Come help celebrate Laughing Squid's Lucky 13 party at Cellspace on Saturday, May 31st, in San Francisco: http://laughingsquid.com/laughing-squid-2008/ * EFF at RoboGames Can't get enough extreme robot action? Neither can we! EFF will be at the 2008 RoboGames at Fort Mason in San Francisco on June 13-15: http://www.eff.org/calendar/2008/06/12/eff-robogames * EFF at Personal Democracy Forum 2008 Visit EFF at Personal Democracy Forum 2008 in New York City on June 23-24, 2008. For EFF supporters only: sign up by Tuesday, May 27, and receive an additional $50 discount off of the early bird rate. Use discount code: "eff08". http://www.eff.org/calendar/2008/06/23/eff-personal-democracy-forum-2008 * As always, new and renewing EFF members get an $8 gift card for Magnatune music downloads: https://secure.eff.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=DON_magnatune : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : Administrivia EFFector is published by: The Electronic Frontier Foundation http://www.eff.org/about Editor: Richard Esguerra, EFF Activist richard@eff.org Membership & donation queries: membership@eff.org General EFF, legal, policy, or online resources queries: information@eff.org Back issues of EFFector are available at: http://www.eff.org/effector/
