Re: Software to Block Ads -- Is this an illegal device?

[kragen@pobox.com (Kragen)]

On Mon, 16 Feb 1998, James Love wrote:
> Janet Kornblum recently had a story in News.com which mentions PGP's
> recent decision to drop adverstising blocking software.  Reportedly, PGP
> was threatened with lawsuits from Internet companies, which claimed the
> software was illegal, under US copyright laws.  Her story is at:

That's absurd.  So, if I browse a site whose ads are all banner ads,
and I turn off image loading, am I breaking the law?  What if I use
Lynx?

At home, I route packets to ad.linkexchange.com and www.doubleclick.net
to a black hole so I'm not bothered by their ads.  Is this a copyright
violation?

Last issue of Wired I bought, I ripped out the ten pages of ads that
preceded the table of contents.  Is this a copyright violation?

Last taped TV show I watched, I fast-forwarded past the commercials.
Is this a copyright violation?  Am I a fast-forwarding criminal?

Kragen