[Ecommerce] CA Bill up for "dumbest law of the year award"?

[Jeff Williams]

Manon and all,

  I have to agree with Mark, this is likely the most idiotic
bill and/or propose legislation I have seen in my memory...
I am betting that the idea for it was from the MPAA and
or the RIAA..

Manon Ress wrote:

> ----- Forwarded message from Barbara Simons <simons@acm.org> -----
>
>   USACM-INFO,
> Below are two concatenated emails about a new law that has been
> introduced in California.  It strikes me as a good candidate for the
> dumbest-law-of-the-year award.  Mark has asked that the information be
> as widely distributed as possible.
> Regards,
> Barbara
>
> ------ Forwarded Message
> From: "Mark Lemley" <MLemley@law.stanford.edu>
> Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 16:02:00 -0800
> To: cyberprof@lists.Stanford.EDU
> Subject: [CyberProf] the next step
>
> not only will we shut down software development, we'll put the developers in
> jail . . .
>
> CA BILL CALLS FOR POTENTIAL JAIL TIME FOR P2P DEVELOPERS
> A bill introduced in California's Legislature last week has
> raised the possibility of jail time for developers of
> file-swapping software who do not stop trades of copyrighted
> movies and songs online. If passed and signed into law, the
> bill could expose file-swapping software developers to fines
> of up to $2,500 per charge, or a year in jail, if they do
> not take "reasonable care" in preventing the use of their
> software to swap copyrighted music or movies, or child
> pornography. Bill at
> http://cainducebill.notlong.com
> Coverage at
> http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-5540937.html
>
> Mark
>
> On 1/19/05 17:34, "Mark Lemley" <MLemley@law.stanford.edu> wrote:
>
>  >>
>  >> Oh, it gets better.  p2p is defined as:
>  >>
>  >> "peer-to-peer file sharing software" means software that
>  >> once installed and launched, enables the user to connect his or her
>  >> computer to a network of other computers on which the users of these
>  >> computers have made available recording or audiovisual works for
>  >> electronic dissemination to other users who are connected to the
>  >> network.
>  >>
>  >> As far as I can tell, distributing and Internet browser is a crime
> under this
>  >> bill.
>  >>
>  >> Mark
>
> Mark A. Lemley
> William H. Neukom Professor of Law, Stanford Law School
> Director, Stanford Program in Law, Science and Technology
> Of counsel, Keker & Van Nest LLP
> mlemley@law.stanford.edu
> http://www.law.stanford.edu/faculty/lemley/
>
> ------ End of Forwarded Message
> --
> Manon Anne Ress
> manon.ress@cptech.org,
> www.cptech.org
>
> Consumer Project on Technology in Washington, DC PO Box 19367,
> Washington, DC 20036, USA Tel.:  +1.202.387.8030, fax: +1.202.234.5176
>
> Consumer Project on Technology in Geneva, 1 Route des  Morillons, CP
> 2100, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland. Tel: +41 22 791 6727
>
> Consumer Project on Technology in London, 24 Highbury Crescent, London,
> N5 1RX, UK. Tel:+44(0)207 226 6663 ex 252. Mob:+44(0)790 386 4642. Fax:
> +44(0)207 354 0607
>
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--
Jeffrey A. Williams
Spokesman for INEGroup LLA. - (Over 134k members/stakeholders strong!)
"Be precise in the use of words and expect precision from others" -
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