[free-sklyarov] [Fwd: [dvd-discuss] Samuelson on Reverse Engineering]

[tom poe]

On Friday 21 September 2001 08:58, Lars Gaarden wrote:
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: [dvd-discuss] Samuelson on Reverse Engineering
> Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2001 11:39:56 -0400
> From: Wendy Seltzer <wendy at seltzer.com>
> Reply-To: dvd-discuss at eon.law.harvard.edu
> To: dvd-discuss at eon.law.harvard.edu
>
> Pam Samuelson has a nice article in Science (online at
> <http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/293/5537/2028> ) describing the
> threat to scientific research posed by the anticircumvention rules.  A good
> URL to pass on to those not yet involved in the fight.
>
> I hope it will help get the attention of the broader scientific
> community.  She specifically calls for scientists to make themselves heard
> in the legislative and judicial process -- through advice to Congress and
> amicus briefs (like the cryptographers'  and computer scientists'  briefs
> in 2600 :-).
>
>
> --Wendy
> --
> Wendy Seltzer -- wendy at seltzer.com
> Fellow, Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School
> http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/seltzer.html
>

Hello:  This is definitely a leading contender for the handout next week.  I 
vote for this one.

As a side-note on the significance of the Free Sklyarov case, the following 
is offered as a reminder of what might happen if this case goes without a 
fight:

"In a short time, maybe a few years into the milennium, it's expected
that all humans on this earth will have their dna profile on file with
some central authority.  From this central authority, all information
will be selectively chosen to be served to the "Public" depending on
what their dna profile contains.

In search of an easy example, let's start with an individual that has
a gene which will express itself in a condition, e.g., muscular
dystrophy.  The central authority will then preclude information to
this individual that might "harm" the individual by subjecting that
individual to news about a "miracle cure" that is not "approved" by
the central authority.

Let's reach a little, now, and imagine someone with a dna profile that
does not fit the "normal" profile.  The central authority, may, at its
discretion, decide that this individual need receive only information
found "suitable" for the individual.  There would be no information
available to the individual about past exceptions to their profile
category.  These would be individuals that overcame obstacles and
provided exceptional contributions to the world as it was, prior to
the milennium.  Can you think of any good candidates?

So, while we're waiting and preparing for this day to arrive, now
might be a good time to go ahead and put all information under
control.  We're real close to having everything digitized, and the
only information available will be through "approved" electronic
devices.  "Unapproved" just plain won't work.

Of course, there's always the upside.  Just before the Big Transition Day, 
the world's peoples got together, and each individual copyrighted their dna 
profile, and, with the force of the DMCA and SSSCA behind them, set the stage 
for an interesting legal battle over who can access the individual's dna 
profile, and owns the information contained in that profile.  The insurance 
industry had a heart attack en masse.

To connect to the electronic network, please identify yourself.  Please
identify your device, and we will match you to the information, and
the medium through which you will receive the information "we" decide
you should have access to.  Thank you."