EFF Launches Coders' Rights Project

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: EFFector list <editor () eff org>
Date: August 6, 2008 2:42:07 PM EDT
To: farber () central cis upenn edu
Subject: EFFector 21.27: EFF Launches Coders' Rights Project
Reply-To: EFFector list <editor () eff org>

EFFector Vol. 21, No. 27  August 6, 2008  editor () eff org

A Publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation
ISSN 1062-9424

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In our 480th issue:

* EFF IS PROUD TO UNVEIL THE CODERS' RIGHTS PROJECT,
building on EFF's longstanding efforts to protect
researchers, engineers, and developers that face serious
legal challenges to their cutting-edge work. The Coders'
Rights Project is home to new FAQs on reverse engineering
and vulnerability reporting, written to guide non-lawyers
through the murky legal issues surrounding these common
methods and practices in computer security research.
http://www.eff.org/issues/coders

EFF is also staffing an "EFF Is IN" booth at this week's
Black Hat technical security conference, providing legal
information on reverse engineering, vulnerability
reporting, and copyright law, as well as patent, trade
secret, and free speech issues. Through education and legal
work, EFF hopes to continue promoting innovation and
safeguarding the rights of curious tinkerers and hackers on
the digital frontier.
http://www.eff.org/press/archives/2008/08/05-0

* ON THE EVE OF THE FCC'S ACTION AGAINST COMCAST, EFF
RELEASED "SWITZERLAND," a software tool that empowers
customers to test the integrity of their Internet
communications. Part of EFF's "Test Your ISP" project, the
open-source, command-line tool is designed to detect the
modification or injection of packets of data, giving
tech-savvy users the power to investigate any meddling with
their Internet traffic.
http://www.eff.org/press/archives/2008/07/31

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EFF Updates

* EFF Battles Dangerous Attempts to Circumvent Electronic
Privacy Law
Two key electronic privacy cases threaten to expand the
government's authority to spy on emails and use cell phone
location tracking techniques.
http://www.eff.org/press/archives/2008/08/05

* MySpace Criminal Charges Risk Dangerous Ramifications for
Consumers
A substantial coalition of groups and academics intervened
in a case with dangerous ramifications for the millions of
people who use the Internet.
http://www.eff.org/press/archives/2008/08/04

* Victory for DVRs in the Cloud
An appellate court decision supports your right to press
the record button, even when your digital video recording
device stores your data in the cloud.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/08/victory-dvrs-cloud

* Congress Bows to Big Content, Scapegoats Higher Ed
Colleges will have to plan to implement deterrents to
campus file-sharing.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/08/congress-bows-big-content-scapegoats-higher-ed

* FCC Rules Against Comcast for BitTorrent Blocking
According to the statement, the FCC voted to require
Comcast to disclose its practices and stop discriminating
against BitTorrent traffic.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/08/fcc-rules-against-comcast-bit-torrent-blocking

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miniLinks

~ DHS Issues Policy on Laptop Seizures
Rules released by Homeland Security say agents can seize
laptops and their contents without suspicion of wrongdoing.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/content/article/2008/08/01/laptops.html

~ Privacy Group Spies on Google
The National Legal and Policy Center used Google's Street
View to virtually stalk a Google executive.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/01/nlpc_outs_larry_page/

~ CriminalSearches.com
A new website allows users to search criminal databases for
free, raising privacy concerns.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/technology/03essay.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
(log-in may be required)

For more miniLinks:
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/08/minilinks-2008-08-06

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Announcements

* EFF Is IN at Black Hat USA 2008!
Look for us or stop by our booth at Black Hat USA, the
world's premier technical security conference, August 2-7
in Las Vegas. We'll be giving out useful legal information
to assist security researchers with intellectual property
and free speech issues that affect their work. We'll also
be available to consult with individuals or companies who
want more information about how the law might affect their
current research and upcoming presentations.
http://www.blackhat.com/

* Visit EFF at the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo from
August 4-7
Thinking about going to the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo
in San Francisco? You can use the priority code "VPL616"
for a Free Exhibit Hall Pass or 20% off the conference
package of your choice. Stop by our booth to say hello and
update your membership!
http://www.linuxworldexpo.com/live/12/

* Vegas 2.0 Presents theSummit: Fundraiser for EFF and The
Hacker Foundation
Kick off DEFCON right at the 4th Annual theSummit
fundraiser on Thursday, August 7th, 2008. Organizers plan
to have 50+ featured guests from the hacker community. Past
guests have been DEFCON/Black Hat speakers, high profile
hackers, and security book writers.
http://vegassummit.org/

* DEFCON 16 "Hackers and Guns" Firearms Training Simulator
Fundraiser for EFF!
Going to DEFCON? Support EFF by pwning baddies in the same
firearms training simulator used by military and law
enforcement personnel! The courseware consists of drills
that allow individual combatants to engage in exercises to
improve target acquisition using laser-based training. The
simulator will be set up in room #103 near Registration and
the Swag booth from 10am to 8pm. All proceeds support EFF
-- fighting for your digital rights since 1990!

* EFF Fundraiser at San Francisco's Kansai Bistro
Restaurant
Come support EFF at Kansai Bistro on August 14 -- mention
EFF to your server to receive a free dessert AND have
Kansai Bistro donate 15% of your bill to EFF! EFF staffers
will be on hand throughout the evening to chat and mingle.
Kansai Bistro is located at 4112 Geary Blvd. (between 5th &
6th Avenues) in San Francisco. Call (415) 386-6188 to make
reservations. We look forward to seeing you there!
http://www.kansaibistro.com

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Administrivia

EFFector is published by:
The Electronic Frontier Foundation
http://www.eff.org/about

Editor:
Richard Esguerra, EFF Activist
richard () eff org

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membership () eff org

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information () eff org

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