CITP Blog - Formerly Freedom to Tinker

Tag: CBDTPA

  • Fritz's Real Hit List

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    Seth Finkelstein suggests that I should reexamine my “Fritz’s Hit List” feature in light of the “leeway” concept. Seth says, in effect, that it is possible, or at least it might be possible, to redefine the scope of the Hollings CBDTPA so that it covers “what 99.9% of the population uses for business or entertainment,”…

  • Wishful Thinking

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    In recent debates about copyright and technology, pro-regulation people have started using an interesting rhetorical tactic. Rather than trying to rebut challenges to the workability of their proposed solutions, they talk instead about how intensely they want their proposals to be workable. For example, my Fritz’s Hit List series points out a serious flaw in…

  • "Digital Media Device" Definition from the Hollings CBDTPA

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    Several readers have asked me to post the precise definition of “digital media device” from the Hollings CBDTPA. Here it is: DIGITAL MEDIA DEVICE. – The term “digital media device” means any hardware or software that – (A) reproduces copyrighted works in digital form; (B) converts copyrighted works in digital form into a form whereby…

  • Misleading Term of the Week: "Broadcast Flag"

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    [This posting inaugurates a new feature. Each week I will dissect one widely used but misleading bit of terminology. See my previous posting on the term “piracy” for more on why terminology is important.] This week’s misleading term is “broadcast flag,” which is used by Hollywood to refer to a wide-ranging ban on video technologies…