IP/INFOW@R: Fwd: Hatch Takes Aim at Illegal Downloading

From: Michael M. Butler (mmb@spies.com)
Date: Wed Jun 18 2003 - 12:35:51 MDT

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    Excerpted. Orrin Hatch talks tough.

    > Hatch Takes Aim at Illegal Downloading
    >
    >
    > Tuesday, June 17, 2003; 5:22 PM
    > http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6241-2003Jun17.html
    >
    >
    > WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Tuesday
    > he
    > favors developing new technology to remotely destroy the computers of
    > people
    > who illegally download music from the Internet.
    >
    > The surprise remarks by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, during a hearing on
    > copyright abuses represent a dramatic escalation in the frustrating
    > battle
    > by industry executives and lawmakers in Washington against illegal music
    > downloads.
    >
    > During a discussion on methods to frustrate computer users who illegally
    > exchange music and movie files over the Internet, Hatch asked technology
    > executives about ways to damage computers involved in such file trading.
    > Legal experts have said any such attack would violate federal anti-
    > hacking laws.
    >
    > "No one is interested in destroying anyone's computer," replied Randy
    > Saaf
    > of MediaDefender Inc., a secretive Los Angeles company that builds
    > technology to disrupt music downloads. One technique deliberately
    > downloads
    > pirated material very slowly so other users can't.
    >
    > "I'm interested," Hatch interrupted. He said damaging someone's computer
    > "may be the only way you can teach somebody about copyrights."
    >
    > The senator acknowledged Congress would have to enact an exemption for
    > copyright owners from liability for damaging computers. He endorsed
    > technology that would twice warn a computer user about illegal online
    > behavior, "then destroy their computer."
    ...
    > On the Net: Sen. Hatch: http://hatch.senate.gov

    -- 
    I am not here to have an argument. I am here as part of a civilization. 
    Sometimes I forget.
    


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