InfoWorld: Linux maven Bruce Perens: DMCA outlaw? [Hack the Planet]

Yay!  Civil disobedience is cool.  The DMCA is an awful, awful law, and Perens is going to demonstrate this.  He's going to explain how to circumvent one of the DRM technologies built into all DVD players: region coding.  But Hollywood doesn't want you circumventing DRM, so they bought a law -- the DMCA -- making everything related to circumvention illegal. 

So even talking about how to disable the DRM on DVD players violates the anti-circumvention provisions of the DMCA.  Merely by discussing it in his presentation, Perens is opening himself up to a half-million dollar fine.  What's more, because the conference he's presenting at charges attendees, there may be criminal charges as well.

Hmmm.  Being taken to court and thrown in jail for giving a speech at an academic conference.  Doesn't sound much like America, does it?

10:04:04 AM