IP: THEY GOT TO BE KIDDING -- Skip DVD ads go to jail?

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

> Date: Sat, 4 Mar 2000 07:56:20 -0800 (PST)
> From: "Carl M. Kadie" <kadie () eff org>
> To: farber () cis upenn edu
> Subject: Skip DVD ads go to jail?
>
> Dave,
>
> C|Net reports that the new Disney Tarzan DVD does not allow users to
> skip over 4 minutes of commercials.
>   http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1007-200-1563949.html
>
> Even worse, anyone who found aw way to skip over the commerials could
> be committing a federal offense. Even in their own home, with their
> own player, and a DVD that they bought.
>
> I asked a cyberlaw mailing list (cyberia-l) if it would it be a
> violation of Federal Law to circumvent Disney's use-restrictions.  The
> consensus is that, unless the judges change their minds, a
> commercial-skipping DVD player could violate the Digital Millennium
> Copyright Act.  (See http://www.eff.org for more on the legal cases.)
>
> - Carl
> p.s. Feel free to forward this.
>
> Carl Kadie -- I do not represent EFF or my employer; this is just me.
>  =Email: kadie () eff org =
>  =URL: <http://www.eff.org/CAF/> =