IP: Senate Panel Adopts Digital Copyright Bill

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

How depressing.


URL for full story:
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/05/cyber/articles/01copyright.html




May 1, 1998




Senate Panel Adopts Digital Copyright Bill


By JERI CLAUSING


WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday adopted the
Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which takes a new step toward protecting
creative content in cyberspace by outlawing the equipment used to commit a
copyright infringement, not just the act or intent of illegally copying
material.


Although the panel adopted a number of compromise amendments intended to allow
exceptions for just about every imaginable fair use of the hardware used to
unscramble protected material and software, some interest groups remained
nervous about what has been left out.


            Most visibly absent was any exemption for
            devices used in encryption research, an issue
            Senate leaders said they hope to work out before
            the bill goes to the floor. To improve the codes
            used in encryption technology, researchers need
            to use these devices to crack the software that is
            already on the market.


            "The Administration has already burdened the
            encryption industry with misguided export
            restrictions. Adding language that makes it
            unlawful could be a final fatal blow that forces
            the industry overseas," said Senator John
            Aschroft, a Missouri Republican who led two
            weeks of intense negotiations that smoothed out
            most concerns about the bill.


            Still, he said, "I want to make it clear that I will
            support this bill even if the [exceptions for encryption research]
            cannot be resolved. But I think we will have a better bill if we
            address this issue."