Years could elapse before a successful challenge to the DMCA is mounted, and in that time, dozens -- maybe even hundreds -- of people will back down because they can't afford the legal bills and time required to take on Wal-Mart or the RIAA. When you're writing up your list of resolutions for 2003, put this near the top: Repeal the DMCA Latest News about DMCA. Yeah, I know most of us aren't members of Congress, but we can put pressure on our respective representatives to stick up for individuals' rights to enjoy unrestricted use of digital media and hardware.. . .
Years could elapse before a successful challenge to the DMCA is mounted, and in that time, dozens -- maybe even hundreds -- of people will back down because they can't afford the legal bills and time required to take on Wal-Mart or the RIAA. When you're writing up your list of resolutions for 2003, put this near the top: Repeal the DMCA Latest News about DMCA. Yeah, I know most of us aren't members of Congress, but we can put pressure on our respective representatives to stick up for individuals' rights to enjoy unrestricted use of digital media and hardware.

Our best friend in Congress, at least so far, has been the Democratic representative from Virginia's 9th district, Rick Boucher. (This doesn't give the Democrats any bragging rights. The driving force behind the DMCA and the Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act, Ernest "Fritz" Hollings, is also a Democrat.)

Boucher, however, has announced that he plans to introduce legislation next year that would revise sections of the DMCA to ensure that fair use remains legal. Unfortunately, that's not enough. The entire law needs to go.