CALIFORNIA BANS FRONT-SEAT COMPUTER USE

Jan 2, 2004 | law

A new law effective January 1, 2004 bans the use of laptop computers in the front seat of a car. It applies to a laptop being used by a passenger in the car, but it excludes most devices used for mapping or navigation. A Slashdot reader asked why it should be illegal...

SPAMMERS HAPPY WITH FEDERAL LAW

Nov 25, 2003 | law, spam

As you watch Congress and the President congratulate each other over the new federal anti-spam legislation, keep in mind that the spammers are thrilled with the new law. Here’s an article from Direct Marketer News that will chill you. “Marketers roundly...

MASTER & SLAVE

Nov 25, 2003 | law, Politics

I’m a fan of politically correct speech. I think it’s important to avoid using expressions that perpetuate stereotypes, even if it’s reasonably clear that the words are meant kindly or inoffensively. But. Following complaints by someone within the...

THE DMCA AND UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

Oct 4, 2003 | DRM, file_sharing, law

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has produced a report summarizing the use and misuse of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act in the last five years. The DMCA is being used by copyright owners to limit our use of copyrighted materials in unexpected and unreasonable...

SUBPOENAS AND COMPUTER CRIME

Sep 8, 2003 | law

Here’s a fascinating – and chilling – article by a former head of the Justice Department’s computer crime unit describing a recent decision by a federal appeals court in California. A routine discovery dispute has produced a decision that potentially expands the...

SAVING THE INTERNET

Jul 23, 2003 | Internet, law

Doc Searls, editor of The Linux Journal, has written an insightful article about the threat to the Internet and how to save it. He brings together the FCC media consolidation ruling, SCO’s copyright litigation over Linux, why broadband is under attack by telcos...