[free-sklyarov] DMCA: Dow What It Wants to Do

[Richard M. Smith]

http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,57011,00.html

Digital Millennium Copyright Act charges may force an independent
Internet service provider and its controversial clients offline next
month. 

The Thing has provided Internet connectivity, technical support and Web
design services to New York City artists and political activists for
over a decade. 

But at the beginning of December, Wolfgang Staehle, owner and director
of The Thing, was notified by his service provider, Verio, that The
Thing's Internet connection would be severed on Feb. 28, 2003. 

Staehle said Verio is pulling the plug on The Thing due to charges that
one of its clients violated the DMCA by posting a parody website mocking
Dow Chemical company. 

Posted on Dec. 3, the parody site quickly came to the attention of Dow's
lawyers, who contacted (PDF) Verio. Verio responded by shutting down The
Thing's entire network, an action that affected hundreds of The Thing's
clients, until the parody site was removed on Dec. 4. 

Shortly afterward, Staehle says Verio's lawyers informed him that his
service would be permanently suspended at the end of next month. 

"I still can't believe it," Staehle said. "I love this city and this
country, but I am terrified at the direction we seem to be headed in." 

Verio representatives were not immediately available for comment. 

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