EFFector Vol. 21, No. 26 July 31, 2008 editor@eff.org A Publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation ISSN 1062-9424EFFector Vol. 21, No. 37 October 31, 2008 editor@eff.org A Publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation ISSN 1062-9424 : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : In our 489th issue: * EFF LAUNCHED OurVoteLive.org THIS WEEK TO MONITOR ELECTION PROBLEMS NATIONWIDE AND IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS. Published on behalf of the nonpartisan Election Protection coalition, the website collects and analyzes voter calls to the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline, gathering important data about voters' questions, registration and identification problems, difficulties with voting machines, and polling place accessibility issues. In addition to raw incident data, OurVoteLive.org also features incident maps, nationwide trend information and an active election issues blog that will highlight important election incidents as they develop. As part of our defense of digital rights, EFF is committed to protecting the electoral process and producing tools that help educate and inform the public. For the Our Vote Live website: http://www.ourvotelive.org/ For the EFF press release about OurVoteLive.org: http://www.eff.org/press/archives/2008/10/26 * EFF MARKED THE IGNOBLE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DIGITAL MILLENNIUM COPYRIGHT ACT (DMCA) WITH THE RELEASE OF "UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES: Ten Years Under the DMCA," a comprehensive report on the effects of anticircumvention provisions that ban circumventing digital rights management (DRM) and other technological protection measures. While anticircumvention provisions have failed to prevent "digital piracy," the "Unintended Consequences" have proliferated wildly, ultimately harming fair use, free speech, scientific research, and legitimate competition. For more about the Unintended Consequences report: http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/10/dmca-ten-years-unintended-consequences For the Freedom to Tinker blog's DMCA retrospective: http://www.freedom-to-tinker.com/tags/dmca-week For Public Knowledge's DMCA retrospective: http://www.publicknowledge.org/tag/dmca : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : EFF Updates * Coalition Launches Global Network Initiative Internet companies, including Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft, have agreed to follow a set of principles on protecting users' free expression and privacy. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/10/global-network-initiative * The Two Best Books About the DMCA Here's where to turn for in-depth analysis of the DMCA and its impact on digital culture. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/10/two-best-books-about-dmca * Google Book Search Agreement With Authors and Publishers The massive settlement comes with radically new incentives for Google and authors and publishers. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/10/google-reaches-settlement-authors-over-google-book * Hollywood Menaces DVD Rental Kiosks Universal threatens Redbox in a shocking attack on the first sale doctrine. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/10/hollywood-menaces-dvd-rental-kiosks * EFF's "Yellow Dots of Mystery" on Instructables Watch our video to learn about printer tracking dots and read the step-by-step tutorial for instructions on how to see them for yourself. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/10/effs-yellow-dots-mystery-instructables : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : miniLinks ~ Court Rules Hash Analysis Is a Fourth Amendment Search Similar hash analysis searches of an "entire computer" would require a warrant. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081029-court-rules-hash-analysis-is-a-fourth-amendment-search.html ~ More in UK Wrongly Identified As File Sharers Surprise, surprise -- investigators in the UK searching for copyrighted content on peer to peer networks wind up accusing innocent folks of infringement. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7697898.stm ~ 'Series Of Tubes' Senator Convicted of Corruption With Senator Ted Stevens' reelection unlikely, CNET's Declan McCullagh summarizes the history of Stevens' poor Internet policy decisions as member of the Senate Commerce Committee. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10076855-38.html : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : Announcements * Special EFF Member Discount on "Take Control Ebooks" Our friends at TidBITS Publishing are offering all EFF members a permanent 30% discount on Apple-oriented Take Control ebooks. Written by some of the top names in the Mac world, Take Control ebooks strive to be focused, in-depth, and highly practical. The PDF-based ebooks use carefully designed layout and typography for easy onscreen reading and printing, and they include bookmarks, clickable links, and a "Check for Updates" link that lets readers access free updates and new editions. Best of all? They're totally free of DRM. If you're an EFF member and you'd like to take advantage of this offer, send an email to membership@eff.org to receive the discount voucher code. For the Take Control ebook catalog: http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/catalog.html : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : 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/ To unsubscribe or change your subscription preferences: http://action.eff.org/site/CO?i=cc9sZmzxQ64zfOEH1cfRE9UA8wxLriG6&cid=1041 To change your email address: http://action.eff.org/addresschange Reproduction of this publication in electronic media is encouraged. This newsletter is printed on 100% recycled electrons. To unsubscribe from all future email, paste the following URL into your browser: http://action.eff.org/site/CO?i=CskJl5Q8xBlPLPn2TwVDlduEQziQANW9&cid=1041 : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : In our 479th issue: * EFF AND FAIR USE PREVAIL OVER ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO USE COPYRIGHT TO SILENCE CRITICS, as a federal court dismissed a copyright claim by radio personality Michael Savage last Friday. Savage sued the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) for criticizing him with short audio clips of his radio program -- a by-the-book exercise of free speech by making fair use of someone's content for criticism. In the opinion, the judge even discussed the value of using the audio clips, writing, "To comment on [Savage's] statements without reference or citation to them would not only render [CAIR's] criticism less reliable, but be unfair to [Savage]." http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/07/fair-use-prevails-over-michael-savages-copyright-c * THE WORLD LOST CELEBRATED JOURNALIST AND CONSUMER ADVOCATE ED FOSTER to a heart attack this weekend. For more than 20 years, Foster wrote as a "reader advocate" at InfoWorld, championing battles on behalf of the growing class of digital consumers and establishing a tradition of consumer advocacy that continues today. Ed will be sorely missed, both professionally and personally, by us at EFF along with all of the others who benefited from his wisdom. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/07/memoriam-ed-foster-1949-2008 : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : EFF Updates * Yahoo! Offers Refunds to Customers Who Bought DRM-Crippled Tunes After an initial misstep, Yahoo! stands by its customers by offering full refunds on music files locked by soon-to-be obsolete copy protection. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/07/yahoo-offers-refunds-customers-who-bought-drm-crip * Senators Announce New Intellectual Property Enforcement Bill S. 3325 would give the Attorney General new powers to sue on behalf of the entertainment industry -- but why? http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/07/senators-announce-new-intellectual-property-enforc * Paper Catalog + Computer Database = Patent? Um, No. The patent office agrees to reexamine a patent on "looking up parts in a catalog with a computer" -- one of many runners-up for the EFF Patent Busting Project's Ten Most Wanted list. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/07/paper-catalog-computer-database-patent-um-no * When the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Principle Doesn't Apply In the patent world, combining common concepts is not a new invention. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/07/when-reeses-peanut-butter-cups-principle-doesnt-ap : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : miniLinks ~ Kansas Senator Outraged by Chinese Spying Senator Brownback objects to dragnet surveillance -- when it is done by other countries. http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/07/kansas-senator.html ~ Networks Sue Redlasso Fox and NBC made good on a threat to sue Redlasso, the popular service that allows users to clip and post TV shows. http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/7/fox-nbc-make-good-on-threat-sue-web-clip-service-redlasso ~ Is the Air Force Immune to DMCA Suits? A DMCA suit against the US Air Force alleging copyright infringement and anti-circumvention violations was thrown out of federal court on the basis of "sovereign immunity." http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/30/dmca_suit_blocked/ For more miniLinks: http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/07/minilinks-2008-30-07 : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : Announcements * Visit EFF at the 2008 Usenix Security Symposium Join us in San Jose, CA, July 28 - August 1, for the 17th USENIX Security Symposium. http://www.usenix.org/events/sec08/sec08.html * EFF is IN at Black Hat USA 2008! Look for us or stop by our booth at Black Hat USA, the world's premier technical security conference, August 2-7 in Las Vegas. We'll be giving out useful legal information to assist security researchers with intellectual property and free speech issues that affect their work. We'll also be available to consult with individuals or companies who want more information about how the law might affect their current research and upcoming presentations. To make an appointment for a consultation, please email Alyssa Ralston, Development Assistant, at alyssa@eff.org, or drop by the table. EFF supporters receive a $100 discount off the prevailing registration rate by inserting BHUS8SUAS in the box marked "coupon" on the web registration page! http://www.blackhat.com/ * Visit EFF at the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo from August 4-7 Thinking about going to the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo in San Francisco? You can use the priority code "VPL616" for a Free Exhibit Hall Pass or 20% off the conference package of your choice. Stop by our booth to say hello and update your membership! http://www.linuxworldexpo.com/live/12/ While you're there, check out the LinuxWorld session "Cold Boot Attacks on Hard Drive Encryption" with EFF Staff Technologist Seth Schoen. He will demonstrate attacks in which encryption keys are recovered from memory chips quickly taken from powered down computers, and then will discuss countermeasures that users can take to protect themselves. http://www.linuxworldexpo.com/live/12/conference//tracks/tracksessions/Security/QMONYB00BIQG * Vegas 2.0 presents theSummit: Fundraiser for EFF and The Hacker Foundation Kick off DEFCON right at the 4th Annual theSummit fundraiser on Thursday, August 7th, 2008. Organizers plan to have 50+ featured guests from the hacker community. Past guests have been DEFCON/Black Hat speakers, high profile hackers, and security book writers. http://vegassummit.org/ * DEFCON 16 "Hackers and Guns" Firearms Training Simulator Fundraiser for EFF! Going to DEFCON? Support EFF by pwning baddies in the same firearms training simulator used by military and law enforcement personnel! The courseware consists of drills that allow individual combatants to engage in exercises to improve target acquisition using laser-based training. The simulator will be set up in room #103 near Registration and the Swag booth from 10am to 8pm. All proceeds support EFF -- fighting for your digital rights since 1990! * EFF Fundraiser at San Francisco's Kansai Bistro Restaurant Come support EFF at Kansai Bistro on August 14 -- mention EFF to your server to receive a free dessert AND have Kansai Bistro donate 15% of your bill to EFF! EFF staffers will be on hand throughout the evening to chat and mingle. Kansai Bistro is located at 4112 Geary Blvd. (between 5th & 6th Avenues) in San Francisco. Call (415) 386-6188 to make reservations. We look forward to seeing you there! http://www.kansaibistro.com : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : 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/
