http://www.techdirt.com/ Easily digestible tech news.... http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/01450023148/makers-nutella-force-fan-who-created-world-nutella-day-to-shut-it-down-updated.shtml#c691 Wed, 22 May 2013 01:36:32 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/01450023148/makers-nutella-force-fan-who-created-world-nutella-day-to-shut-it-down-updated.shtml#c691 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/01450023148/makers-nutella-force-fan-who-created-world-nutella-day-to-shut-it-down-updated.shtml#c676 Wed, 22 May 2013 01:33:31 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/01450023148/makers-nutella-force-fan-who-created-world-nutella-day-to-shut-it-down-updated.shtml#c676
Because lawyers don't really care about the publicity and reputation aspects as long as they get paid, and the companies have been conned into thinking they need aggressive copyright and trademark defences from the lawyers. Until they wake up and realise that the collateral damage can actually be worse than whatever they're defending against to begin with, it will continue.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/01450023148/makers-nutella-force-fan-who-created-world-nutella-day-to-shut-it-down-updated.shtml#c657 Wed, 22 May 2013 01:30:51 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/01450023148/makers-nutella-force-fan-who-created-world-nutella-day-to-shut-it-down-updated.shtml#c657 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/00493523143/ridiculous-timing-obama-administration-responds-to-spying-ap-pushing-journalist-shield-law-that-wouldnt-matter.shtml#c273 Wed, 22 May 2013 01:25:02 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/00493523143/ridiculous-timing-obama-administration-responds-to-spying-ap-pushing-journalist-shield-law-that-wouldnt-matter.shtml#c273
So was the only real competition. Romney is a Bush level moron.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/00493523143/ridiculous-timing-obama-administration-responds-to-spying-ap-pushing-journalist-shield-law-that-wouldnt-matter.shtml#c258 Wed, 22 May 2013 01:23:18 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/00493523143/ridiculous-timing-obama-administration-responds-to-spying-ap-pushing-journalist-shield-law-that-wouldnt-matter.shtml#c258
Republicans too.
Tories in the UK, and Labour, and Lib Dems, and UKIP.

It is something that career politicians are very adept at.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/00493523143/ridiculous-timing-obama-administration-responds-to-spying-ap-pushing-journalist-shield-law-that-wouldnt-matter.shtml#c249 Wed, 22 May 2013 01:19:52 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/00493523143/ridiculous-timing-obama-administration-responds-to-spying-ap-pushing-journalist-shield-law-that-wouldnt-matter.shtml#c249
All rich people are criminals
All corporations are corrupt
All torrent users are pirates
All Techdirt readers and writers are freetards

I would expect nothing less than him believing all journalists are evil and soulless.]]> 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#c1712 Wed, 22 May 2013 01:11:59 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#c1712 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/00493523143/ridiculous-timing-obama-administration-responds-to-spying-ap-pushing-journalist-shield-law-that-wouldnt-matter.shtml#c226 Wed, 22 May 2013 00:54:51 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/00493523143/ridiculous-timing-obama-administration-responds-to-spying-ap-pushing-journalist-shield-law-that-wouldnt-matter.shtml#c226
Since non of the parties are puritan in this field, it would of course still result in bypartisan screwups or opposition caused screwups being hidden, but it is less likely to be the case thab a current administrations faux pas.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130521/12175523157/nyc-says-renting-out-your-place-via-airbnb-is-running-illegal-hotel.shtml#c359 Wed, 22 May 2013 00:47:21 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130521/12175523157/nyc-says-renting-out-your-place-via-airbnb-is-running-illegal-hotel.shtml#c359
"fire exits"

If the building doesn't already have sufficient fire exits, why does the fact that people staying from an internet booking instead of just living there change the fact that this is a problem? If it's an occupancy problem, the same issue is raised from a guy having a few friends round for a party, do you want NYC to shut down all parties and large family gatherings too?

"tax avoidance"

That's a matter for the IRS, not zoning laws. In fact, AirBnB would have records of everything booked, unlike someone who rents his room from an ad on his company's notice board or under the table via friends or family. Why do you want to make enforcement of taxes more difficult?

"Imagine the hidden cameras, or running through your luggage"

This happened to a friend of mine in a big name Vegas hotel, and there's plenty of stories around about licensed premises having all these things happen. You're deluding yourself if you think that renting an apartment suddenly makes this an issue. If you're talking about the ability to prevent people from renting their apartment out, you can't actually prevent that in any realistic way (they can still rent via word of mouth) but law enforcement can request AirBnB to block that person/property from advertising.

"perhaps re-renting a property that they don't own and have in fact just broken into"

Imagine if he's secretly running a zoo and has a tiger in one of the closets! Cite somewhere this is actually happening, or STFU. Fiction is not a basis for law.

"I would hate to live in a "secure" building in New York, only to have a stream of strangers coming in to spend a single night at the condo on the same floor as me"

Then isn't that down to the building's management? What if the guy who owns that apartment just lets his friends crash there after a night out on the town or has a large family who often visit? Should the law attack them as well?

"Closely focusing only on the technology, and forgetting that the transaction happens in the real world with all the risks and legal implications that come with it is classic."

So, you just ignore all the articles where those aspects are discussed, especially given that most of the "hating" is down to real, demonstrable experiences people have with the bullshit being opposed. Typical. I think we've found our new troll, and he's not very good.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110311/01552013459/dailydirt-weapons-sky.shtml#c65 Wed, 22 May 2013 00:34:04 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110311/01552013459/dailydirt-weapons-sky.shtml#c65 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/14172323158/judge-not-impressed-prenda-alan-cooper-lawsuit.shtml#c621 Wed, 22 May 2013 00:19:54 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/14172323158/judge-not-impressed-prenda-alan-cooper-lawsuit.shtml#c621 http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130521/12175523157/nyc-says-renting-out-your-place-via-airbnb-is-running-illegal-hotel.shtml#c348 Wed, 22 May 2013 00:16:05 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130521/12175523157/nyc-says-renting-out-your-place-via-airbnb-is-running-illegal-hotel.shtml#c348
At their core, these services are merely allowing people to do things they always do with friends and acquaintances (giving lifts, letting them stay in your apartment) with strangers. Unless there's any actual proven damage, I can't see the problem.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/15164823159/bad-day-prenda-continues-judge-rejects-stay-adds-1k-per-day-each-day-they-dont-pay-up.shtml#c491 Wed, 22 May 2013 00:15:30 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/15164823159/bad-day-prenda-continues-judge-rejects-stay-adds-1k-per-day-each-day-they-dont-pay-up.shtml#c491 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/00493523143/ridiculous-timing-obama-administration-responds-to-spying-ap-pushing-journalist-shield-law-that-wouldnt-matter.shtml#c207 Wed, 22 May 2013 00:14:49 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/00493523143/ridiculous-timing-obama-administration-responds-to-spying-ap-pushing-journalist-shield-law-that-wouldnt-matter.shtml#c207 http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130521/12175523157/nyc-says-renting-out-your-place-via-airbnb-is-running-illegal-hotel.shtml#c327 Wed, 22 May 2013 00:03:15 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130521/12175523157/nyc-says-renting-out-your-place-via-airbnb-is-running-illegal-hotel.shtml#c327
And no one has ever had the luggage gone through, or been subjected to hidden cameras in one of your "reputable hotels" ?

I take it you have never heard of a sub-lease?

You are nothing but a moron with an axe to grind against this site because it proves that copyright maximalists like you are only interested in ripping off the public.]]> 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#c1697 Tue, 21 May 2013 23:59:03 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#c1697 Whatever claims are held are the government's. This is criminal law.

Actually, I was wrong. It is also civil law. 17 USC 1203 allows civil actions against people who violate 1201.

Still, that does not mean that any of the rights granted in 106 were violated. These are the only things that are considered an infringement of copyright, as 501 makes clear. (In fact, 1203 doesn't talk about copyright holders, but "any person injured by a violation of section 1201.")

Considering 1201(c) ("Nothing in this section shall affect rights, remedies, limitations, or defenses to copyright infringement, including fair use, under this title"), I think it's fair to say that Congress did not intend to grant copyright holders any more rights that they already had. They were never seeking to add another right to 106.

It's pretty clear that the Congressional intent was to prohibit circumvention specifically for the purpose of infringement. Making this intent clear, by explicitly stating it in the statutes, would not in any way diminish the rights granted in 106, and would simply clarify Congress' intent in enacting the statutes in the first place.

There is no sane reason to be against this bill at all.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130514/15163123086/did-paul-duffys-wife-admit-that-duffy-was-engaged-interstate-extortion-facebook.shtml#c966 Tue, 21 May 2013 23:58:41 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130514/15163123086/did-paul-duffys-wife-admit-that-duffy-was-engaged-interstate-extortion-facebook.shtml#c966 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/14172323158/judge-not-impressed-prenda-alan-cooper-lawsuit.shtml#c614 Tue, 21 May 2013 23:48:57 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/14172323158/judge-not-impressed-prenda-alan-cooper-lawsuit.shtml#c614 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#c1691 Tue, 21 May 2013 23:37:48 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#c1691 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120818/01171420087/funniestmost-insightful-comments-week-techdirt.shtml#c1210]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/15581423160/prenda-gets-some-tiny-bit-good-news-as-it-may-get-out-two-critical-cases.shtml#c44 Tue, 21 May 2013 23:31:11 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/15581423160/prenda-gets-some-tiny-bit-good-news-as-it-may-get-out-two-critical-cases.shtml#c44 fraud case? Talk about non-existent standards.

Criminals must love this guy...
Judge: 'For your actions I sentence you to 30 hours of community service.'
Defendant: 'I helped someone mow their lawn yesterday.'
Judge: 'Eh, close enough, you're free to go.']]>