Tech giants come out against INDUCE

[Miniver]

From YahooNews (http://news.yahoo.com/)


Forty-two tech companies, including Google, Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/finance/nf/tc_nf/storytext/*http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=yhoo&d=t) - news (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/biz/nf/tc_nf/storytext/*http://biz.yahoo.com/n/y/yhoo.html)), Cnet and Intel (Nasdaq: INTC (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/finance/nf/tc_nf/storytext/*http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=intc&d=t) - news (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/biz/nf/tc_nf/storytext/*http://biz.yahoo.com/n/i/intc.html)), have signed a letter denouncing the proposed legislation.

The author of the bill, Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, is requesting hearings on music downloading and who should bear the liability of damages caused by music piracy.

Bi-Partisan Solution

Last year, Hatch suggested that one remedy to the problem would be to develop technology that would destroy the hard drives of offending users remotely. He later backed off his extreme stance when it was discovered that his own computers were powering his Web site with unlicensed software.

Joining Hatch as co-sponsors of the bill are lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, including Democrats Patrick Leahy, Vermont; Tom Daschle, South Dakota; and Barbara Boxer, California, as well as fellow Republican Bill Frist of Tennessee.

While many legal experts do not believe the bill will become law, they say the tendency to punish rather than innovate is hampering the ability of the market to correct the problem. In essence, record companies are seen as making attempts to win through the courts, because they have been unable to create a successful music-downloading system.

Beyond Borders

In the meantime, the operators of popular peer-to-peer networks responsible for carrying much of the pirated music on the Internet remain offshore. "Because the Internet has no borders, it is almost impossible to reach offshore companies operating on the Internet with no U.S. presence," said IP attorney Jim Burger of the Washington, D.C., firm Dow, Lohnes & Albertson.

"The last time I checked, the U.S. had no jurisdiction over Vanuatu," he told NewsFactor. Vanuatu is the island nation where Kazaa's programmers reside.

The new legislation might have a bigger impact on companies in the U.S. that are engaged in legitimate businesses, Burger believes.

Negative Impact

"While I have sympathy for the creators whose copyrighted material is illegally downloaded, I am concerned that this type of legislation could negatively affect companies making products used for substantially non-infringing purposes," he said.

He is not alone in his sentiments. High-tech companies understand that litigation, while necessary to protect property on one hand, often makes for a lousy long-term business strategy. Suits against individual music downloaders can be effective only as long as the lawsuits make headlines.

Full Story (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=1211&e=5&u=/nf/20040709/tc_nf/25773&sid=95609565)

[moneoa]

Last year, Hatch suggested that one remedy to the problem would be to develop technology that would destroy the hard drives of offending users remotely. He later backed off his extreme stance when it was discovered that his own computers were powering his Web site with unlicensed software.
I remember that shite, Orin Asshatch is the dumbest damn senator to grace the senate..
The type of stuff him and his cronies come up with to masturbate big business is incredible, meanwhile the populace gets the shaft.

Luckily alot of it is wayyy to out there to actually make it through house and senate into law

[Omyn]

"Last year, Hatch suggested that one remedy to the problem would be to develop technology that would destroy the hard drives of offending users remotely. He later backed off his extreme stance when it was discovered that his own computers were powering his Web site with unlicensed software."

Hahahah, I remember that this guy is a complete hypocrite on a holier than thou crusade, hes no better than the rest of us D:

Yeah, Im sure he really cares about the well being of big business as long as his wallet keeps getting bigger while companies use him like a puppet on a stick.

[Wolfie]

This is gonna be tech big money vs. media big money and thier lobbyists in the legislature.

[Miniver]

INDUCE will never pass the legislature. It's the PIRATE act that we need to be worried about.

[method]

I remember that this guy is a complete hypocrite on a holier than thou crusade, hes no better than the rest of us

Actually.. I think he's WORSE than the rest of us.. you and me don't stifle technology, contribute to destructive laws that screw up peoples lives and remove their liberties or try to make people responsible when their products get mis-used by other people.

That law-prostituting RIAA-sponsored bitch (whorin'asshatch) is pure corrupt evil scum and is a fine example of exactly what is wrong with some in the senate. Greedy (yep.. he's GOTTA be getting money somewhere for this bs), Selfish (at the publics detriment but to the RIAA's benefit - and probably his in the long run!!) and infuriatingly arrogant (Criticising piracy when he's indirectly involved in piracy itself).

If he's so up for what he's saying he should apply the law retrospectively so he can get locked up for indirectly being involved in piracy himself (possibly inducing piracy?!) and set an example to the rest of us... but no.. he won't because he doesn't care about what the law will effect... he cares about $$$ and back-handers that he's either received or will receive to assist in his retirement for making ridiculous crap like this up. I know it's a bit of speculation on my part.. but it's not exactly unimaginable considering what we've learnt about business and politics over the years.

There should be a loop-hole introduced for the public... When it's obvious a senator is acting on the interests of a business.. and if it's at the detriment to the general public.. that senator should be pulled from any position of power or authority immediately.

[Miniver]

There's some more great quotes from Orrin Asshat in this article.

US Senate bill targets file swapping networks

Staff writers, TechWeb News

The US Senate has introduced a bill that would make it easier for artists to sue file-swapping services like Kazaa and Morpheus.

Six US senators are co-sponsors of the "Inducing Infringement of Copyrights Act of 2004," which would allow companies to be held liable if they "intentionally induce" copyright infringement.

Under a recent US federal court ruling, which is being appealed, peer-to-peer networks can't be held liable if consumers use them to distribute copyrighted works.

"This carefully drafted, bipartisan bill would respond to this erroneous decision by confirming that existing law should allow artists to bring civil actions against parties who intend to induce others to infringe copyrights," said co-sponsor Senator Orrin Hatch in a statement.

On the Senate floor, Hatch added that "it is illegal and immoral to induce or encourage children to commit crimes. Artists realise that adults who corrupt or exploit the innocence of children are the worst type of villains."

He compared file-sharing networks to famous villains of literature and film, such as Fagin in "Oliver Twist" and the Child-Catcher in "Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang."

Reaction from file-sharing services was swift. P2P United, a group which represents several such services, including Morpheus and eDonkey, blasted the bill as "ill-defined, ill-devised, and the product of an unbelievably flawed legislative process."

[moneoa]

There's some more great quotes from Orrin Asshat in this article.

US Senate bill targets file swapping networks

Staff writers, TechWeb News

The US Senate has introduced a bill that would make it easier for artists to sue file-swapping services like Kazaa and Morpheus.

Six US senators are co-sponsors of the "Inducing Infringement of Copyrights Act of 2004," which would allow companies to be held liable if they "intentionally induce" copyright infringement.

Under a recent US federal court ruling, which is being appealed, peer-to-peer networks can't be held liable if consumers use them to distribute copyrighted works.

"This carefully drafted, bipartisan bill would respond to this erroneous decision by confirming that existing law should allow artists to bring civil actions against parties who intend to induce others to infringe copyrights," said co-sponsor Senator Orrin Hatch in a statement.

On the Senate floor, Hatch added that "it is illegal and immoral to induce or encourage children to commit crimes. Artists realise that adults who corrupt or exploit the innocence of children are the worst type of villains."

He compared file-sharing networks to famous villains of literature and film, such as Fagin in "Oliver Twist" and the Child-Catcher in "Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang."

Reaction from file-sharing services was swift. P2P United, a group which represents several such services, including Morpheus and eDonkey, blasted the bill as "ill-defined, ill-devised, and the product of an unbelievably flawed legislative process."
Almost INDUCEs you to vomit huh? :hi eat this Senator Asshat

[coldcopper]

It's ok for the record companies to INDUCE people to murder, sell drugs, brutalize their neighborhoods and become an all around criminal THUG, but it isn't allright to INDUCE copyright violations.

Induce murder? What are you talking about????

By the logic that Orin Hatch follows, gangsta rap has INDUCED people to become gang members and live the THUG lifestyle, yet the record companies claim first amendment protection.

Think about that one.

Oh, by the way, I like some THUG rap music so don't get the wrong idea.

There's some more great quotes from Orrin Asshat in this article.

US Senate bill targets file swapping networks

Staff writers, TechWeb News

The US Senate has introduced a bill that would make it easier for artists to sue file-swapping services like Kazaa and Morpheus.

Six US senators are co-sponsors of the "Inducing Infringement of Copyrights Act of 2004," which would allow companies to be held liable if they "intentionally induce" copyright infringement.

Under a recent US federal court ruling, which is being appealed, peer-to-peer networks can't be held liable if consumers use them to distribute copyrighted works.

"This carefully drafted, bipartisan bill would respond to this erroneous decision by confirming that existing law should allow artists to bring civil actions against parties who intend to induce others to infringe copyrights," said co-sponsor Senator Orrin Hatch in a statement.

On the Senate floor, Hatch added that "it is illegal and immoral to induce or encourage children to commit crimes. Artists realise that adults who corrupt or exploit the innocence of children are the worst type of villains."

He compared file-sharing networks to famous villains of literature and film, such as Fagin in "Oliver Twist" and the Child-Catcher in "Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang."

Reaction from file-sharing services was swift. P2P United, a group which represents several such services, including Morpheus and eDonkey, blasted the bill as "ill-defined, ill-devised, and the product of an unbelievably flawed legislative process."

[ccc1005]

Forty-two tech companies, including Google, Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/finance/nf/tc_nf/storytext/*http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=yhoo&d=t) - news (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/biz/nf/tc_nf/storytext/*http://biz.yahoo.com/n/y/yhoo.html)), Cnet and Intel (Nasdaq: INTC (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/finance/nf/tc_nf/storytext/*http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=intc&d=t) - news (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/biz/nf/tc_nf/storytext/*http://biz.yahoo.com/n/i/intc.html)), have signed a letter denouncing the proposed legislation.
Thats good to see, at least there are so very powerful opponents of the law.

[thewhitrbbit]

Maybe with Yahoo going against it, the law will get picked up by the international newswire and they wouldn't be able to slip it t

[shawners]

im rooting for the good guys.. which one are the good guys? Maybe the tech industry needs to quit saleing crap to them or letting them have any hardware, software, or piece of special effects. I would require them to have a million dollar a year license to use what their computer produces or get part of the revenue since they are the ones making the movies with tons of action.

[Wolfie]

im rooting for the good guys.. which one are the good guys? Maybe the tech industry needs to quit saleing crap to them or letting them have any hardware, software, or piece of special effects. I would require them to have a million dollar a year license to use what their computer produces or get part of the revenue since they are the ones making the movies with tons of action.


I guess its tough to figure who is the lesser of the two evils, lol.

[Kerensky97]

I think it's safe to say you should side with the tech companies rather than the politicians in this matter.

I live in Utah so technically Orin is representing my interests... how's that for having shitty politicians? He doesn't even listen to his own constituents, he represents the values of whoever gives him the most money.
Unfortuneately we can't get rid of him, he's Republican so any challenger will be Democrat, and in Utah nobody votes Democrat no matter how bad the incumbent is. :finger

[thewhitrbbit]

a republican could challenge hatch in the primaries. I live in MD and democrats challenge our democratic senator. They dont get anywhere though.