Copy That Floppy, Lose Your Computer

Over the weekend we posted a story about a new copyright bill that creates a new govt. agency in charge of copyright enforcement. Kevin Way writes "In particular, the bill grants this new agency the right to seize any computer or network hardware used to "facilitate" a copyright crime and auction it off. You would not need to be found guilty at trial to face this penalty. You may want to read a justification of it, and criticism presented by Declan McCullagh and Public Knowledge." Lots of good followup there on a really crazy development.

With added 80s music!

[PlatyPaul]

In case you missed the message, Don't Copy That Floppy [youtube.com]!

(warning: may cause eye strain and/or brain damage)

This is great!

[Anonymous Coward]

Since the intarweb is used to facilitate copyright infringement, the gov't can seize the entire series of tubes!

A visit from the spelling police

[Tetsujin]

Even more so: since you do not have to be found guilty, I think that would very clearly be an unconstitutional Government "Taking" denial of Due Process. It's one thing to ask if corporate lobbiests...

Let's take a moment to check your spelling...

Hm... Lobby, lobbier, lobbiest...

OK, it all checks out... You can go about your business. Move along.

Re:Hmmm

[megaditto]

And I welcome a new way to avoid paing electronics recycling charge!

Well...

[Guanine]

At least they didn't say it would "brick" the computer. Baby steps, folks.

Poppycock! Balderdash!

[Stanislav_J]

Are you suggesting that here, in the Land of the Free(TM), that the government would seize and auction off your assets for a copyright "crime" even if you haven't been adjudicated as guilty? Oh, come on.....next you'll try to tell me that they'll seize and auction your car and keep your cash if they even suspect you of having drugs! (Chuckle) Yeah....like that's gonna happen....

Re:So let me get this straight...

[compro01]

Legislation like this shows that the lawmakers have absolutely no clue.

those last 4 words were pretty redundant.

Re:A visit from the spelling police

[Sockatume]

I think he just coined a term for "the most lobbying corporate lobbyists".

Re:So?

[stewbee]

I sure if you asked Dennis Kucinich, he would lend you his pocket copy.
from http://www.wikiality.com/Dennis_Kucinich [wikiality.com]

What else does Kucinich carry around?
On October 15, 2007, Kucinich emptied his pockets onto The C-Desk revealing:
* The Communist Manifesto
* a pocket Magna Carta
* His lucky charms
* a tea cup, tea pot with water, and sugar (or more likely some type of communist sweetener)
* A pocket Rosetta Stone
* the Pocket Stephen Colbert
* Pocket I Am America (And So Can You!) (after Dr. Colbert gave him a pocket-sized copy)

Re:Littering

[Tetsujin]

it has to be thrown away somewhere, maybe he thought spreading the organic matter around would help furtalise the country instead of it all ending up in landfill.

Ah, well then he did a good job, then. Asphalt is a notoriously bad environment for growing crops: but thanks to his forward-thinking generosity, Main Street can once again become a garden paradise...

Re:With added 80s music!

[CaptainPatent]

From that video:

"by the time you add up all the people involved in creating an application, you'll end up with 20 or 30 people" - LOL!!

I think the best form of copyright protection would be if any time you entered blank media into a drive you had to listen to that video...

Unfortunately I think the suicide rate may increase drastically too!

Shut down Harvard!

[Tipa]

People at Harvard do illegal file sharing. Now the government can take all their computers! Woohoo! I bet they have nice stuff. They can go there on their way to MIT!

The government is going to have absolutely awesome computers. And the beauty of it, is they can sell them, then go back and impound them later! Sell them again and again and instant $$$ Budgest crisis? Solved! Funding wars against the rest of the world? PAID FOR! Impound and auction, rinse and repeat!

Re:Hmmm

[Kadin2048]

"What computer did I download it with? Well, it was this one, over here. Yes, the one that says 'two-eight-six' on the front. And all six of those monitors over there, I was definitely downloading with those. And that dot-matrix printer in the corner...that's my MP3 printer."

Re:So?

[Howitzer86]

Yep, all you can do now is live in fear. It's no longer about being a good citizen. Given enough time, they will eventually come and make an example of you.

Re:Bad URL

[halivar]

You expect us to read the FAQ's? You must be new he--oh, wait... nevermind.

Re:So?

[brusk]

That's not true. It's actually parchment. Much more durable.

Re:With added 80s music!

[SkimTony]

s/suicide/homicide/g

Re:A new AGENCY?!

[maxwell demon]

When the country was going through it first few elections there wasn't as much money being thrown around and we still managed to hold campaigns.

Wow, you are really that old?