Police Raid Home of Linux Coder

[Ian Lowry <lowry_ian@hotmail.com>]

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----Original Message Follows----
From: MichaelP <papadop@peak.org>
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: [EMMAS] MPAA Intimidation Campaign; Police Raid Home of Linux Coder
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2000 12:32:19 -0600 (CST)

This story mixes two threads - one is about the Motion Picture industry
to preserve internet copyrights on their product. and the other is about
the place of Linux as an open, unowned language avalaible for the
development of open-source software

Michael
==========================
    EFFector       Vol. 13, No. 1       Jan. 25, 2000       editor@eff.org

    A Publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation     ISSN 1062-9424

   IN THE 149th ISSUE OF EFFECTOR (now with over 21,000 subscribers!):

      * MPAA Continues Intimidation Campaign Against Open Source Software
        Community
           + Police Raid Home of Norwegian Linux Coder
           + WHAT YOU CAN DO
           + Links to More Information
      * Administrivia

    For more information on EFF activities & alerts: http://www.eff.org
      _________________________________________________________________

MPAA Continues Intimidation Campaign Against Open Source Software Community

   Police Raid Home of Norwegian Linux Coder

    The home of sixteen-year-old Jon Johansen, who was among the first to
    post the DeCSS program that allows users to view DVDs on computers
    using non-Windows or Macintosh operating systems, was raided yesterday
    in Larvik, Norway and his computer and cellular telephone seized by
    police.

    The police were acting at the behest of the motion picture industry as
    part of the industry's attempt to suppress discussion and distribution
    of DVD-viewing software developed outside of the industry's licensing
    regime to prevent the free availability of such software.

    Both Johansen and his father, who operated the website on which the
    teen posted the code, were questioned at length by the police and have
    been threatened with indictment for posting the code, which the motion
    picture industry dubiously claims was created illegally and promotes
    piracy. Legal analysis of Norwegian copyright and computer crime laws
    suggests the charges would not stick; the action appears intended to
    harass and frighten.

    This action is in addition to three lawsuits filed by the Motion
    Picture Association of America and the DVD Content Control Association
    and their overlapping membership, in California, New York and
    Connecticut against numerous individuals and organizations including
    coders, journalists and an ISP. EFF's legal staff, aided by some of
    the nation's top attorneys in copyright law, are vigorously defending
    those named in the suits, to support the rights of individuals to
    legally develop, post, and discuss software.

    "The motion picture industry is using its substantial resources to
    intimidate the technical community into surrendering their rights of
    free expression and fair use of information", said Tara Lemmey,
    President of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. "These actions are a
    wake-up call for the open-source software community. The process of
    reverse-engineering and public posting and commenting of code that the
    MPAA is attempting to suppress is fundamental to the development of
    open source software as well as being constitutionally-protected
    speech."

    EFF plans to assist the Johansen family and has already contacted
    several experts in European copyright law to involve them in the case.

    For more information and background material on the MPAA/DVDCCA
    crusade to censor free speech and innovation under the smokescreen of
    preventing piracy, visit EFF's Campaign for Audiovisual Free
    Expression ( http://www.eff.org/cafe ) or follow some of the links
    below.

     WHAT YOU CAN DO

    Support EFF by making a special donation. The movie industry is
    clearly trying to spread us thin and make us expend all our resources.
    They've filed three lawsuits, generated one bogus criminal
    investigation, and will almost certainly do more -- hoping to spend us
    out of the way. Please don't let that happen. EFF is the only
    organization fighting this legal battle against big money and
    corporate arrogance. We need your help! You can make a donation via
    our secure Web site (just fill in the donation section of our
    membership form, and please become a member, too!) You can also send a
    check, or even donate stock. Membership/donation form (Visa, MC,
    AmEx):
    https://www.eff.org/join

    Contact info for postal or telephoned donations, and stock donations:
       Electronic Frontier Foundation
       attn: Kathleen Guneratne, Membership Coordinator
       1550 Bryant St., Suite 275
       San Francisco CA 94103-4832 USA
       +1 415 436 9333 x0

    PGP Key for encrypted donations via e-mail (send to
    membership@eff.org):
    http://www.eff.org/pub/EFF/effkey.pgp

    Were working on other ways for members and supporters to get involved
    -- we'll send out another edition of EFFector and feature it on our
    website as well.

    Thanks for your help and support.

     Links to More Information

    EFF's Campaign for Audiovisual Free Expression (CAFE)
    http://www.eff.org/cafe

    Coverage in Norwegian Press (in English):
    http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/d121152.htm

    EFF press release regarding related NY, CT cases:
    
http://www.eff.org/ip/Video/MPAA_DVD_cases/20000120_eff_press_release.html

    CNN coverage of injunction granted in NY case:
    http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/ptech/01/21/dvd.hacking.reut/index.html

    Wired News coverage of NY case:
    http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,33816,00.html

    General info on the open source community and DVD:
    http://www.opendvd.org/

    EFF's archives on the DVD cases:
    http://www.eff.org/IP/Video

    Full text of injunction order granted in related CA case:
    http://www.eff.org/ip/Video/MPAA_DVD_cases/20000120_pi_order.html

    San Jose Mercury News coverage of denial of industry request for
    temporary restraining order in CA case:
    http://weblog.mercurycenter.com/ejournal/1999/12/29

    NY Times coverage of CA case being filed:
    http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/yr/mo/cyber/cyberlaw/07law.html

      _________________________________________________________________

                                  Administrivia

    EFFector is published by:

    The Electronic Frontier Foundation
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    Editor: Stanton McCandlish, Communications Coordinator/Webmaster
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