joegratz.net

30 November 2003

A Geeky Thought

Say I’m a thief, and I disable the security system in the boat warehouse and sneak away with a Four Winns 194 Funship. Not only am I guilty of the crime of boat theft, but I’ve violated section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, since I “circumvent[ed] a technological measure that effectively control[led] access to a work protected under this title”.

(The hull of the Four Winns 194 Funship is a protected “vessel hull design” under 17 U.S.C. 1301. The security system was a technological measure that effectively controlled access to the hull of the boat. 17 U.S.C. 1301 and 17 U.S.C. 1201 are part of the same Title of the United States Code.)

(All right, enough. Back to writing that paper.)

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