Phoenix.pm: SSSCA

Thu Feb 28 14:52:03 CST 2002

Hi, this is a news brief from Scott-News.

First:

Mail your opinions on this to:

investor-relations at cisco.com

andy_grove at intel.com
toontown at disney.com
Intel invester relations...   Phone: (408)765-1480

I'm still trying to work out email addresses for Disney and
Intel. Legend has it, Intel hates email. 
Deservedly negitive public feedback *does* have a large impact
on corporate policy makers. Adope dropped their complaint against
Dmitry, etc.
For those of you who don't follow politics, SSSCA would completely
outlaw Linux. Hardware and software manufacturers would be required
to include goverment mandated copy controls in anything capable
of playing, read, or copying digital media. This includes computers.
It is not possible to include secure digital controls in Linux as
long as the source is available and the tools to compile it. This
is why DVDs were never supported under Linux legally, and had to be
cracked before they were. Doing away with peoples access to their
own hardware and software would do away with any non-commercial
innovation. Will this pass? Probably not. Will we feel really
stupid if it does pass and we didn't go on record warning of the
ill consequences? Yup.

Second:

Care of EFF:

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SENATE HEARINGS THIS WEEK ON DRAMATIC NEW DIGITAL CONTROLS

SSSCA HEARING, THU. FEB. 28

Electronic Frontier Foundation Media Advisory

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, February 27, 2002

Washington, DC - This Thursday, February 28th, the U.S. Senate Committee
on Commerce, Science and Transportation will hold hearings on draft
legislation, the Security Systems Standards and Certification Act
(SSSCA). Sponsored by U.S. Senator Fritz Hollings (D-SC) and Ted Stevens
(R-AK), SSSCA would require government mandated copy prevention
technology in future digital devices that would give Hollywood control
over how consumers can use digital content. Senate hearings had
originally been scheduled for October 25, 2001, but were indefinitely
postponed after much public opposition to the proposed legislation.
Thursday's re-scheduled hearing will allow testimony only from major
copyright holders and electronics companies; no public interest or
consumer rights groups have been invited to provide input on the draft
legislation on how information may be used in a digital environment.

Witness List:

Panel I:

Mr. Michael D. Eisner, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company

Mr. Peter Chernin, President and Chief Operating Officer, News
Corporation

Mr. Leslie L. Vadasz, Executive Vice President, Intel Corporation

Panel II:

Mr. Andreas Bechtolsheim, General Manager/Vice President of the Gigabit
Systems Business Unit, Cisco Systems Inc.

Mr. James E. Meyer, Special Advisor to the Chairman and formerly Senior
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Thomson Multimedia 

Mr. Robert Perry, Vice President, Marketing, Mitsubishi Digital  
Electronics America, Inc.

Info on hearings:

Chair: Sen. Hollings to preside Feb. 28, 2002, 9:30 a.m. ET.
Title: "Protecting Content in the Digital Age"
Location: Hearings will be held in Room 253, Russell Senate Office
Building (unless otherwise noted), Delaware and Constitution Avenues, 
North East District, Washington, DC 20510

Links

U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation announcement
of hearings:
  http://commerce.senate.gov/press/107-159.html

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