Fair Use Bill Introduced To Change DMCA

An anonymous reader tips us to a Washington Post blogger's note that Representatives Boucher (D-VA) and Dolittle (R-CA) today introduced the FAIR USE Act to update the DMCA to "make it easier for digital media consumers to use the content they buy." Boucher's statement on the bill says, "The Digital Millennium Copyright Act dramatically tilted the copyright balance toward complete copyright protection at the expense of the public's right to fair use..." The Post failed to note the history. Boucher has been introducing this bill for years; here are attempts from 2002 and 2003. The chances may be better in this Congress. And reader Rolling maul writes in to note Ars's disappointment with the bill for leaving the DMCA's anti-circumvention provisions intact: "Yet again, the bill does not appear to deliver on what most observers want: clear protection for making personal use copies of encrypted materials. There is no allowance for consumers to make backups of DVDs, to strip encryption from music purchased online so that it can be played anywhere, or to generally do any of the things that the DMCA has made illegal."

That still doesn't stop the fact that...

[physicsboy500]

To the tune of YMCA (this stolen from www.userfriendly.org):

Net geeks,
There's no need to feel guilt
I said, Net geeks
For the software you built
I said, Net geeks,
Cause you're not in the wrong
There's no need to feel unhappy

Net geeks,
You can burn a CD.
I said, Net Geeks,
With your fave mp3's.
You can Play them
In your home or your car.
Many ways to take them real far!

It's fun to violate the D.M.C.A
It's fun to violate the D.M.C.A
You have everything you need to enjoy
Your music with your toys!

It's fun to violate the D.M.C.A
It's fun to violate the D.M.C.A
You can archive your tunes
You can share over cable
You can annoy the record labels!

James Earl Jones said it best

[c0d3h4x0r]

Yet again, the bill does not appear to deliver on what most observers want: clear protection for making personal use copies of encrypted materials. There is no allowance for consumers to make backups of DVDs, to strip encryption from music purchased online so that it can be played anywhere, or to generally do any of the things that the DMCA has made illegal.

"We are the United States government -- we don't DO that sort of thing!"

Goddamn acronyms!

[GrenDel Fuego]

FAIR USE = "Freedom and Innovation Revitalizing U.S. Entrepreneurship"

Somebody please shoot me.

B.A.C.K.R.O.N.Y.M.S.

[AeroIllini]

"Freedom and Innovation Revitalizing U.S. Entrepreneurship" (or FAIR USE)

I want to introduce my own bill...

"Initiative Halting Arbitrary Terms Excessively Bringing Additional Confusion and Kludginess to Resolutions, Ousting Newspeak, and Yielding a Manageable System." (or I. H.A.T.E. B.A.C.K.R.O.N.Y.M.S.)

Re:That still doesn't stop the fact that...

[Anonymous Coward]

With your fave mp3's.

We use Ogg Vorbis you insensitive clod!

Re:Goddamn acronyms!

[EvanED]

Hey, it's not as bad as some others. For instance, The Daily Show made fun of the US-VISIT acronym when it came out. If you're not familiar, it stands for "Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology". After saying that, Stewart says "that name brought to you by the Federal Acronym Registration Team."