How to Fight the Corporate Hacking Bill
I wrote a column for this Sunday's News & Record that explains why Howard Coble is the logical person to target in an effort to change the bill that would give companies the right to hack your computer. I'll post it here as soon as it hits the N&R site. This should be a useful document but much more needs to be done.
A blog-fed campaign against this bad bill could work, but some sort of structure or leadership is probably needed to make sure the fight is being waged effectively. Somebody might even have to testify to Congress at some point. (As you will see in the column, a celebrity spokesperson or two doesn't hurt--aren't there some rock stars who get file sharing and privacy? Anyone know how to enlist them?)
Early on, before we found out that the sponsors of this bill are running unopposed this November, Dave Winer mentioned raising money to beat them. I think the basic idea of using the political process is still a valid one. Anyone up for organizing a campaign?
On the media side, I can play a role as a columnist for the largest regional daily in Coble's district (already this week, the N&R has run two letters to the editor decrying the bill). Other journalists will take this up if blogs beat the drum loud and long enough. Some of them might even put some heat on the entertainment companies who want the power to hack potential customers.
Vox Populi
The latest anti-corporate hacking letter was just one of several interesting letters that ran in our local monopoly daily today. I love reading letters to the local papers when I travel. By coincidence I'm supposed to have dinner tonight with Jon Wall, the attorney who wrote the letter scolding Bush.
3:19:27 PM 
|
