Latest Techdirt Comments http://www.techdirt.com/ Easily digestible tech news.... Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/10401723156/if-you-think-you-should-actually-own-products-you-bought-now-would-be-good-time-to-call-congress.shtml#c1075 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:59:38 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/10401723156/if-you-think-you-should-actually-own-products-you-bought-now-would-be-good-time-to-call-congress.shtml#c1075
And restoring rights to consumers, boy.]]> Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/10401723156/if-you-think-you-should-actually-own-products-you-bought-now-would-be-good-time-to-call-congress.shtml#c1064 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:59:30 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/10401723156/if-you-think-you-should-actually-own-products-you-bought-now-would-be-good-time-to-call-congress.shtml#c1064 Currently, copyright holders have a legally enforceable claim against those that circumvent access controls

True, and that would disappear, but it isn't a COPYRIGHT claim. It's just a claim the copyright holder has as an extension of a law put in place to protect copyright.

Just because it's an issue covered in a bill that protects copyright (among other things) doesn't mean it's copyright issue.

Therefore, "fixing" (liberal usage of the word) the issue has no effect on copyright. That's the point you're failing to understand.]]> Re: Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/10401723156/if-you-think-you-should-actually-own-products-you-bought-now-would-be-good-time-to-call-congress.shtml#c1050 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:59:21 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/10401723156/if-you-think-you-should-actually-own-products-you-bought-now-would-be-good-time-to-call-congress.shtml#c1050
DMCA is a US law. US laws are valid only the US.

Send your data to China or India. They can legally extract it, they can do it much cheaper than you can, you can spend the day sleeping while the data is processed, and helps the Indian economy which makes the elitists happy.

See solution simple.

Everyone happy.]]> Re: There has been an update posted on Facebook http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/01450023148/makers-nutella-force-fan-who-created-world-nutella-day-to-shut-it-down-updated.shtml#c552 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:59:21 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/01450023148/makers-nutella-force-fan-who-created-world-nutella-day-to-shut-it-down-updated.shtml#c552 Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/10401723156/if-you-think-you-should-actually-own-products-you-bought-now-would-be-good-time-to-call-congress.shtml#c1041 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:58:44 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/10401723156/if-you-think-you-should-actually-own-products-you-bought-now-would-be-good-time-to-call-congress.shtml#c1041
I bought the damn thing and so long as I'm not 'stealing' content with it or causing physical/mental distress to someone else with it, I should be able to do whatever the hell I want with it. If I want to move to another carrier with it, so be it. If I want to install apps that the almighty Apple doesn't like, go me. If I want to sell it to my mother-in-law for $20 I should be able to do that too.

If you disagree with the idea that what you buy (not license or rent a service/product) is YOURS and not "yours until we say so" then you've got problems, period. I didn't lease a phone, I bought one.]]> Re: Why am I not surprised? http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130515/00554723091/more-details-emerge-key-legal-fight-over-dmca-abuse.shtml#c106 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:58:18 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130515/00554723091/more-details-emerge-key-legal-fight-over-dmca-abuse.shtml#c106
Next time, try reading. I know, I know, that involves actually understanding the issues at play -- and that's not the sort of thing you do -- but it might help you not sound so completely confused all the time.]]> Re: Why am I not surprised? http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130515/00554723091/more-details-emerge-key-legal-fight-over-dmca-abuse.shtml#c82 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:58:11 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130515/00554723091/more-details-emerge-key-legal-fight-over-dmca-abuse.shtml#c82
The principle is that derivative artists have rights to their fruits of labour.

Telling different versions of Star Wars, or The Lord of the Rings, or The Lion King IS "doing your own work". And copyright deprives artists of the right to do that.

What do you think websites like deviantArt and fanfiction.net have been doing for so long? Unless you want to really be consistent and say that these websites should be shut down, you're going to have to step back and see how copyright is AGAINST the principles of John Locke, not for them.

Crowdfunding, whether its through the many tried and tested examples of collecting tickets for gigs, or through Kickstarter, or pre-ordered copies of DVDs, is superior to copyright in every way because both original and derivative artists have their fruits of labour protected. It makes copyright discreditable from every angle.

You are not entitled to say how you are best defending the "rights of artists". So many markets have been wiped out as a result of the communist-tendencies of copyright and the life, liberty and property has been sucked out of derivative artists for too long. Crowdfunding gives us no excuse for it.

There. And I didn't have to mention how you've exculpated the accountability of corporations for what they do through using pirates as scapegoats. "Since the pirates are running riot, why should be do anything about privacy invasions?" I think there are even many principled copyright maximalists who could call you out for this nonsense. It is a matter of principle. The Patriot Act is to be opposed unequivocally, and I say this as somebody who supports the fight against Islamic fascism. It's the same thing.]]> Re: http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130521/12175523157/nyc-says-renting-out-your-place-via-airbnb-is-running-illegal-hotel.shtml#c107 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:56:17 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130521/12175523157/nyc-says-renting-out-your-place-via-airbnb-is-running-illegal-hotel.shtml#c107 I've been reading Techdirt for a long time now, and I really enjoy most of the articles, but you have a *massive* problem with not being able to admit when you're wrong.

Just because you have a different *opinion* does not mean I was "wrong." In this case, I stand by my opinion. When I am shown to be factually incorrect, I have no problem at all admitting to the mistakes.

Uber has been thoroughly discredited ever since it came out that the company is 1) run by an Objectivist who 2) engaged in massive, illegal price gouging in the Sandy flooding and then 3) tried to use ridiculous Objectivist rhetoric to paint a smiley face over the whole thing and make it look like what he was doing was good for everyone involved, when five seconds of critical thinking tears the entire argument to shreds.

None of that has anything to do with what I stated. It appears you hate Travis because of his views. So be it. But that's got nothing to do with the key point, which is that his service -- which is innovative and useful -- is getting hammered due to ridiculous regulations designed to protect cabs.

So the people who have been around for long enough to garner several good reviews end up rising to the top.
If you're new, you don't have any reviews, meaning that no one is going to want to choose to stay at your place when there are more attractive places with lots of good reviews competing with you.

That doesn't seem to be a problem on AirBnb that I can see, so, no.

And once people start understanding how important reviews are to getting business, managing reviews starts becoming an important part of the business model. Then you get people writing fake reviews of their own place, (or fake *bad* reviews of the competition,) and people starting to take steps to coerce the sorts of reviews they want out of their customers. (See: the case of that one dentist suing people who wrote bad reviews.)

And there are easy ways to deal with that as well. Besides, for the most part, in exploring airbnb, there's little issue about "competition." People have spare space, and they rent it out when people need it. No one seems to be all that concerned about competitors.

But, more to the point, faking reviews is fairly difficult (and expensive) since you'd have to actually book the room first, and AirBnB seems to have a pretty extensive system in place to deal with any problems that arise.

So... okay, you hate these new services. That's your opinion. I disagree. Why the hate?]]> Re: The issue here is overprescription http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130502/07475922914/why-even-good-hospitals-doctors-are-obstacle-to-better-cheaper-healthcare.shtml#c331 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:56:17 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130502/07475922914/why-even-good-hospitals-doctors-are-obstacle-to-better-cheaper-healthcare.shtml#c331 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/12190223151/prendas-paul-hansmeier-asks-appeals-court-to-delay-sanctions-appeals-court-says-no-try-again.shtml#c493 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:55:19 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/12190223151/prendas-paul-hansmeier-asks-appeals-court-to-delay-sanctions-appeals-court-says-no-try-again.shtml#c493
Lawyers are officers of the court. It's the judge's job to investigate if he thinks that the lawyers aren't behaving as officers of the court should, and to impose sanctions if he thinks they broke the rules. In this case, the fraud involved lying to the court, so it's exactly the sort of fraud the judge should be concerned with.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/10401723156/if-you-think-you-should-actually-own-products-you-bought-now-would-be-good-time-to-call-congress.shtml#c1037 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:52:46 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/10401723156/if-you-think-you-should-actually-own-products-you-bought-now-would-be-good-time-to-call-congress.shtml#c1037 Wow http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/14172323158/judge-not-impressed-prenda-alan-cooper-lawsuit.shtml#c18 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:52:41 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/14172323158/judge-not-impressed-prenda-alan-cooper-lawsuit.shtml#c18 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/01321523153/kitchen-nightmares-lawyers-threaten-infamous-samy-amy-if-they-talk-about-their-experience-show.shtml#c357 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:52:36 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/01321523153/kitchen-nightmares-lawyers-threaten-infamous-samy-amy-if-they-talk-about-their-experience-show.shtml#c357 Re: Re: Re: Re: average_joe http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/10401723156/if-you-think-you-should-actually-own-products-you-bought-now-would-be-good-time-to-call-congress.shtml#c1015 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:49:23 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/10401723156/if-you-think-you-should-actually-own-products-you-bought-now-would-be-good-time-to-call-congress.shtml#c1015 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/10401723156/if-you-think-you-should-actually-own-products-you-bought-now-would-be-good-time-to-call-congress.shtml#c1011 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:47:02 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/10401723156/if-you-think-you-should-actually-own-products-you-bought-now-would-be-good-time-to-call-congress.shtml#c1011
And! That is the issue.

You are correct!

Absurd as it sounds you are correct which only shows how over board copyright in the US is.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/18345423136/doj-dept-education-to-colleges-start-restricting-free-speech-campus-kiss-your-federal-funding-goodbye.shtml#c1145 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:46:54 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/18345423136/doj-dept-education-to-colleges-start-restricting-free-speech-campus-kiss-your-federal-funding-goodbye.shtml#c1145
...The second step is to add to the prohibited list words and phrases like "Tea Party", "Constitution" and "Christ".

Look for more fun things to come from the US Federal Government's financial services.]]> Re: Why am I not surprised? http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130515/00554723091/more-details-emerge-key-legal-fight-over-dmca-abuse.shtml#c69 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:46:49 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130515/00554723091/more-details-emerge-key-legal-fight-over-dmca-abuse.shtml#c69
You cannot address the actual topic. Always trying to change the focus or create a distraction.]]> Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/19190923142/if-youre-going-to-illegally-seize-citizens-cell-phones-least-make-sure-youre-grabbing-right-ones.shtml#c802 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:44:21 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/19190923142/if-youre-going-to-illegally-seize-citizens-cell-phones-least-make-sure-youre-grabbing-right-ones.shtml#c802 So then what? Just lay down and take it, because otherwise no one is gonna come the next time we call?
It wouldn't even be necessary or provoking to film these guys if they didn't have a history of doing bad things... even killing without good reason.
If they did their jobs as they are supposed to, they would applaud the public, filming their work for court. Instead they confiscate and misplace.. to what? cover up their rightful deadly beating and arrest of a drunk guy?
Yeah like I am gonna take that.
And if that police officer arresting those people are annoyed and tired of people mistrusting him, then maybe he needs to look inwards and maybe realize that the mistrust is well placed and then help instead of covering up for his colleagues.
Finally I do respect police officers in general and i appreciate the job they are doing. But in that job, you can't just be the hero sometimes.]]> Re: Re: Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c1122 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:42:25 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c1122 http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130521/12175523157/nyc-says-renting-out-your-place-via-airbnb-is-running-illegal-hotel.shtml#c82 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:41:57 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130521/12175523157/nyc-says-renting-out-your-place-via-airbnb-is-running-illegal-hotel.shtml#c82 Uber

Seriously?

I've been reading Techdirt for a long time now, and I really enjoy most of the articles, but you have a *massive* problem with not being able to admit when you're wrong. (See also: the Facebook IPO.) Uber has been thoroughly discredited ever since it came out that the company is 1) run by an Objectivist who 2) engaged in massive, illegal price gouging in the Sandy flooding and then 3) tried to use ridiculous Objectivist rhetoric to paint a smiley face over the whole thing and make it look like what he was doing was good for everyone involved, when five seconds of critical thinking tears the entire argument to shreds.

Can we *please* stop talking about poor, persecuted Uber on here already? It just makes you look bad.

Because we can now share information pretty easily, Airbnb's detailed review system and communication process take away most of the "risk" that necessitated a health and safety law.


Not at all. It just takes the exact same system (protect incumbents from competition at the expense of newcomers that may actually be better) and moves the enforcement from a formal, accountable, legal process to an informal, unaccountable extralegal process. For example:

Just as an example, in my own search for a place to stay, I went through about half a dozen different apartments that were available, and looked over the pictures and carefully read the reviews. I immediately discounted the cheapest one, because multiple reviews mentioned that the apartment had not been cleaned prior to them showing up. Information and the sharing of information made that place undesirable just like that. No laws needed.


So the people who have been around for long enough to garner several good reviews end up rising to the top.
If you're new, you don't have any reviews, meaning that no one is going to want to choose to stay at your place when there are more attractive places with lots of good reviews competing with you.

And once people start understanding how important reviews are to getting business, managing reviews starts becoming an important part of the business model. Then you get people writing fake reviews of their own place, (or fake *bad* reviews of the competition,) and people starting to take steps to coerce the sorts of reviews they want out of their customers. (See: the case of that one dentist suing people who wrote bad reviews.)

The more things change, the more they stay the same.]]>