Comments on: Corrupt Congressmen say no financial aid to schools that don't send money to DRM services and bust file-sharers http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 22 May 2013 02:15:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: flickersticks http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80973 flickersticks Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80973 And I thought there wasn't anything they could do to make me hate them more than I already do, but then they go and propose a thing like this. I agree with those that have stated- these two issues are unrelated! This is far more unethical than some kid downloading free songs...these MAFIAA jerks are digging their own industry's grave. And I thought there wasn’t anything they could do to make me hate them more than I already do, but then they go and propose a thing like this. I agree with those that have stated- these two issues are unrelated! This is far more unethical than some kid downloading free songs…these MAFIAA jerks are digging their own industry’s grave.

]]> By: Shauni http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80979 Shauni Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80979 I'd like to second the call for citations on the accusations of corruption. Given that the issue is (as usual) essentially a few lines of a 750-page document, who knows who's responsible for it. I’d like to second the call for citations on the accusations of corruption. Given that the issue is (as usual) essentially a few lines of a 750-page document, who knows who’s responsible for it.

]]> By: mrfitz http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-81000 mrfitz Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-81000 For those intersted in the DMCA, signed into law in 1998, see this cached googe page <A href="http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:OW2PwuC5w1AJ:www.educause.edu/ir/library/html/cem/cem99/cem9913.html+universities+considered+isps&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=firefox-a">link</A> For those intersted in the DMCA, signed into law in 1998, see this cached googe page

link

]]> By: NickD http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-81037 NickD Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-81037 Miller has videos all over YouTube. Someone should make a response video to one of them to out him on this. This video appears on Miller's home page. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY5c-u3J9Ag Miller has videos all over YouTube. Someone should make a response video to one of them to out him on this. This video appears on Miller’s home page.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY5c-u3J9Ag

]]> By: Sandpiper http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-81046 Sandpiper Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-81046 It's on page 410: "14 SEC. 494. CAMPUS-BASED DIGITAL THEFT PREVENTION. Part G of title IV (20 U.S.C. 1088 et seq.) is further amended by adding at the end the following new section: ‘‘SEC. 494. CAMPUS-BASED DIGITAL THEFT PREVENTION. ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Each eligible institution participating in any program under this title shall to the extent practicable— ‘‘(1) make publicly available to their students and employees, the policies and procedures related to the illegal downloading and distribution of copyrighted materials required to be disclosed under section 485. ‘‘(2) develop a plan for offering alternatives to illegal downloading or peer-to-peer distribution of intellectual property as well as a plan to explore technology-based deterrents to prevent such illegal activity. ‘‘(b) GRANTS.— ‘‘(1) PROGRAM AUTHORITY.—The Secretary may make grants to institutions of higher education, or consortia of such institutions, and enter into contracts with such institutions, consortia, and other organizations, to develop, implement, operate, improve,and disseminate programs of prevention, education,and cost-effective technological solutions, to reduce and eliminate the illegal downloading and distribution of intellectual property. Such grants or contracts may also be used for the support of a higher education centers that will provide training, technical assistance, evaluation, dissemination, and associated services and assistance to the higher education community as determined by the Secretary and institutions of higher education. ‘‘(2) AWARDS.—Grants and contracts shall be awarded under paragraph (1) on a competitive basis. ‘‘(3) APPLICATIONS.—An institution of higher education or a consortium of such institutions that desires to receive a grant or contract under para2 graph (1) shall submit an application to the Sec3 retary at such time, in such manner, and containing or accompanied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require by regulation ‘‘(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009 and for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.’’. It’s on page 410:

“14 SEC. 494. CAMPUS-BASED DIGITAL THEFT PREVENTION.
Part G of title IV (20 U.S.C. 1088 et seq.) is further amended by adding at the end the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 494. CAMPUS-BASED DIGITAL THEFT PREVENTION.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Each eligible institution participating in any program under this title shall to the extent practicable—
‘‘(1) make publicly available to their students and employees, the policies and procedures related to the illegal downloading and distribution of copyrighted materials required to be disclosed under section 485.
‘‘(2) develop a plan for offering alternatives to illegal downloading or peer-to-peer distribution of intellectual property as well as a plan to explore technology-based deterrents to prevent such illegal activity.
‘‘(b) GRANTS.—
‘‘(1) PROGRAM AUTHORITY.—The Secretary may make grants to institutions of higher education, or consortia of such institutions, and enter into contracts with such institutions, consortia, and other organizations, to develop, implement, operate, improve,and disseminate programs of prevention, education,and cost-effective technological solutions, to reduce and eliminate the illegal downloading and distribution of intellectual property. Such grants or contracts may also be used for the support of a higher education centers that will provide training, technical assistance, evaluation, dissemination, and associated services and assistance to the higher education community as determined by the Secretary and institutions of higher education.
‘‘(2) AWARDS.—Grants and contracts shall be awarded under paragraph (1) on a competitive basis.
‘‘(3) APPLICATIONS.—An institution of higher education or a consortium of such institutions that desires to receive a grant or contract under para2
graph (1) shall submit an application to the Sec3
retary at such time, in such manner, and containing or accompanied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require by regulation ‘‘(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009 and for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.’’.

]]> By: Sam http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80831 Sam Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80831 I smell a rat. The bill in question here is the Higher Education Act Reauthorization which is like 800 pdf pages long. Does anyone out there know who introduced the DRM language into the bill or is someone at cnet holding an anti-democrat bias? I smell a rat. The bill in question here is the Higher Education Act Reauthorization which is like 800 pdf pages long. Does anyone out there know who introduced the DRM language into the bill or is someone at cnet holding an anti-democrat bias?

]]> By: Lone http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80832 Lone Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80832 No doubt all the losses from infringement that music industry is claiming could have been paid for with the money the industry likely gave these and other politicians to pursue that same purpose. No doubt all the losses from infringement that music industry is claiming could have been paid for with the money the industry likely gave these and other politicians to pursue that same purpose.

]]> By: chasie http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80833 chasie Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80833 "We very much support the language in the bill, <b> because we basically wrote it and our chums inserted it sans edit,</b> which requires universities to provide evidence that they have a plan for implementing a technology to address illegal file sharing." “We very much support the language in the bill, because we basically wrote it and our chums inserted it sans edit, which requires universities to provide evidence that they have a plan for implementing a technology to address illegal file sharing.”

]]> By: Teresa Nielsen Hayden / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-81089 Teresa Nielsen Hayden / Moderator Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-81089 Daniel Hechtman, this isn't the first time they've linked unrelated issues to student financial aid. If you're male and of draftable age, failure to register for the draft makes you ineligible for financial aid. I was working in a university financial aid office when the draft registration rule was added. We despised it. It had nothing to do with education or financial aid. Here's a story: A year or two before they instituted the rule about the draft, the feds suddenly decided that every student receiving financial aid had to undergo a process called "verification." Previously, this had only been done to a small sampling of students, as a control mechanism. Imagine the chaos and delays you'd get if the IRS suddenly decided that every tax return had to be fully audited, and refused to pay tax refunds unless the audit was complete. That was what it was like. Suddenly there was much more paperwork involved, and everyone's financial aid was delayed for months. Who got hit the hardest: (1.) Students whose families weren't savvy about paperwork and recordkeeping. They had to go through the most complicated procedures, and were the least equipped to deal with it. (2.) Students who had jobs, children, or both It was a real hardship for them to have to repeatedly come in person to the financial aid office and stand in line in order to find out what hoops they would have to jump through next. (3.) Students with no resources to fall back on. In theory, the verification program was there to make sure financial aid went to the students who needed it most. Its actual effect was that the neediest students couldn't keep eating, paying rent, and attending school full-time during the months it took for their financial aid to clear. They hadn't planned for that delay; nobody had. We went from a system where financial aid usually cleared in time to pay their first semester's tuition, to one where many of them didn't see a dime until the second semester was underway. Of course, when it did clear, they got the whole year's worth in one lump -- if they were still in school. Many of them weren't. They'd had to drop classes and take jobs to support themselves. By the time their financial aid finally came through, they no longer qualified for it. And what did the feds find out from this orgy of fact-checking? Nothing they didn't already know. They certainly didn't find a bunch of cheaters who were finagling the financial aid system. The vast majority of the students were honest. The program's real savings came from denying financial aid to otherwise qualified students who'd had to drop out. None of us thought that was an accident. What's the moral? Students should vote. They should organize voter registration drives and "get out the vote" campaigns. They'd be a big enough voting bloc to make politicians think twice before doing favors for the MPAA and RIAA at the students' expense. Daniel Hechtman, this isn’t the first time they’ve linked unrelated issues to student financial aid. If you’re male and of draftable age, failure to register for the draft makes you ineligible for financial aid.

I was working in a university financial aid office when the draft registration rule was added. We despised it. It had nothing to do with education or financial aid.

Here’s a story:

A year or two before they instituted the rule about the draft, the feds suddenly decided that every student receiving financial aid had to undergo a process called “verification.” Previously, this had only been done to a small sampling of students, as a control mechanism.

Imagine the chaos and delays you’d get if the IRS suddenly decided that every tax return had to be fully audited, and refused to pay tax refunds unless the audit was complete. That was what it was like. Suddenly there was much more paperwork involved, and everyone’s financial aid was delayed for months.

Who got hit the hardest: (1.) Students whose families weren’t savvy about paperwork and recordkeeping. They had to go through the most complicated procedures, and were the least equipped to deal with it. (2.) Students who had jobs, children, or both It was a real hardship for them to have to repeatedly come in person to the financial aid office and stand in line in order to find out what hoops they would have to jump through next. (3.) Students with no resources to fall back on.

In theory, the verification program was there to make sure financial aid went to the students who needed it most. Its actual effect was that the neediest students couldn’t keep eating, paying rent, and attending school full-time during the months it took for their financial aid to clear. They hadn’t planned for that delay; nobody had. We went from a system where financial aid usually cleared in time to pay their first semester’s tuition, to one where many of them didn’t see a dime until the second semester was underway. Of course, when it did clear, they got the whole year’s worth in one lump — if they were still in school.

Many of them weren’t. They’d had to drop classes and take jobs to support themselves. By the time their financial aid finally came through, they no longer qualified for it.

And what did the feds find out from this orgy of fact-checking? Nothing they didn’t already know. They certainly didn’t find a bunch of cheaters who were finagling the financial aid system. The vast majority of the students were honest. The program’s real savings came from denying financial aid to otherwise qualified students who’d had to drop out.

None of us thought that was an accident.

What’s the moral? Students should vote. They should organize voter registration drives and “get out the vote” campaigns. They’d be a big enough voting bloc to make politicians think twice before doing favors for the MPAA and RIAA at the students’ expense.

]]> By: RyanH http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80837 RyanH Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80837 Hey, it makes sense to me. After all, music piracy does FAR more damage to the American economy then denying an education to the next generation could ever cause. *Waves Canadian Flag* I swear, watching the news from south of the boarder is the greatest spectator sport ever created. Hey, it makes sense to me.

After all, music piracy does FAR more damage to the American economy then denying an education to the next generation could ever cause.

*Waves Canadian Flag*
I swear, watching the news from south of the boarder is the greatest spectator sport ever created.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-81099 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-81099 What happens when the students go by the letter of the law, bypassing the "University ISP" and getting a real ISP of their own? How does this law morph to catch the cheaters then? What happens when the students go by the letter of the law, bypassing the “University ISP” and getting a real ISP of their own? How does this law morph to catch the cheaters then?

]]> By: futt3rm31n390 http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80845 futt3rm31n390 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80845 The dying throes of an outdated business model. Adapt or die, MPAA..... The dying throes of an outdated business model. Adapt or die, MPAA…..

]]> By: noen http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80855 noen Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80855 "These three men are proposing to make colleges into a subsidy system for the MAFIAA." We are all made men, we are all wise guys now. “These three men are proposing to make colleges into a subsidy system for the MAFIAA.”

We are all made men, we are all wise guys now.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80869 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80869 What happened, America? You used to be cool, man. What happened, America? You used to be cool, man.

]]> By: Chevan http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80875 Chevan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80875 >Corrupt Congressmen >politicians are so in debt to four of five ailing giants Citations, please? Those are very heavy, almost fear-mongering, accusations to be throwing around, especially when the article you're quoting says nothing about the politicians behind the bill. >Corrupt Congressmen
>politicians are so in debt to four of five ailing giants

Citations, please? Those are very heavy, almost fear-mongering, accusations to be throwing around, especially when the article you’re quoting says nothing about the politicians behind the bill.

]]> By: mrfitz http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80877 mrfitz Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80877 Universities are considered ISPs, so they are as responsible as any other ISP. Here, they are already implementing efforts to identify every single user on the network. Universities are considered ISPs, so they are as responsible as any other ISP. Here, they are already implementing efforts to identify every single user on the network.

]]> By: Daniel Hechtman http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80880 Daniel Hechtman Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80880 Why link two unrelated issues? Why link two unrelated issues?

]]> By: iburl http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80881 iburl Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80881 Representative George Miller = (202) 225-2095 Representative Rubén Hinojosa = (202) 225-2531 Senator Harry Reid = (202) 224-3542 Representative George Miller = (202) 225-2095
Representative Rubén Hinojosa = (202) 225-2531
Senator Harry Reid = (202) 224-3542

]]> By: Brian Carnell http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80888 Brian Carnell Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80888 "Universities are considered ISPs, so they are as responsible as any other ISP. Here, they are already implementing efforts to identify every single user on the network." Any legal precedent on that, or are you just giving your opinion? Universities are all over the place on how they handle file sharing, so clearly there is quite a bit of disagreement among university legal counsels as to what they're legal exposure and obligations are. “Universities are considered ISPs, so they are as responsible as any other ISP. Here, they are already implementing efforts to identify every single user on the network.”

Any legal precedent on that, or are you just giving your opinion? Universities are all over the place on how they handle file sharing, so clearly there is quite a bit of disagreement among university legal counsels as to what they’re legal exposure and obligations are.

]]> By: mw13068 http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80889 mw13068 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80889 Here's what YOU can do to fight this! Call the members of the House Committee for Education and Labor and voice your opposition! The vote is on Wednesday morning. This is your chance to make a difference. House Committee for Education and Labor Name State Phone Jason Altmire D PA 4 202.225.2565 Robert Andrews D NJ 1 202.225.6501 Judy Biggert R IL 13 202.225.3515 Rob Bishop R UT 1 202.225.0453 Charles Boustany R LA 7 202.225.2031 Michael Castle R DE 202.225.4165 Yvette Clarke D NY 11 202.225.6231 Joseph Courtney D CT 2 202.225.2076 Susan Davis D CA 53 202.225.2040 David Davis R TN 1 202.225.6356 Vernon Ehlers R MI 3 202.225.3831 Luis Fortuno R PR 202.225.2615 Virginia Foxx R NC 5 202.225.2071 Raul Grijalva D AZ 7 202.225.2435 Phil Hare D IL 17 202.225.5905 Ruben Hinojosa D TX 15 202.225.2531 Mazie Hirono D HI 2 202.225.4906 Peter Hoekstra R MI 2 202.225.4401 Rush Holt D NJ 12 202.225.5801 Bob Inglis R SC 4 202.225.6030 Ric Keller R FL 8 202.225.2176 Dale Kildee D MI 5 202.225.3611 John Kline R MN 2 202.225.2271 Dennis Kucinich D OH 10 202.225.5871 Randy Kuhl R NY 29 202.225.3161 Dave Loebsack D IA 2 202.225.6576 Kenny Marchant R TX 24 202.225.6605 Carolyn McCarthy D NY 4 202.225.5516 Howard McKeon R CA 25 202.225.1956 Cathy McMorris Rodgers R WA 5 202.225.2006 George Miller D CA 7 202.225.2095 Donald Payne D NJ 10 202.225.3436 Thomas Petri R WI 6 202.225.2476 Todd Platts R PA 19 202.225.5836 Tom Price R GA 6 202.225.4501 Linda Sanchez D CA 39 202.225.6676 John Sarbanes D MD 3 202.225.4016 Bobby Scott D VA 3 202.225.8351 Joe Sestak D PA 7 202.225.2011 Carol Shea-Porter D NH 1 202.225.5456 Mark Souder R IN 3 202.225.4436 John Tierney D MA 6 202.225.8020 Tim Walberg R MI 7 202.225.6276 Joe Wilson R SC 2 202.225.2452 Lynn Woolsey D CA 6 202.225.5161 David Wu D OR 1 202.225.0855 John Yarmuth D KY 3 202.225.5401 Here’s what YOU can do to fight this!

Call the members of the House Committee for Education and Labor and voice your opposition!

The vote is on Wednesday morning. This is your chance to make a difference.

House Committee for Education and Labor
Name State Phone

Jason Altmire D PA 4 202.225.2565
Robert Andrews D NJ 1 202.225.6501
Judy Biggert R IL 13 202.225.3515
Rob Bishop R UT 1 202.225.0453
Charles Boustany R LA 7 202.225.2031
Michael Castle R DE 202.225.4165
Yvette Clarke D NY 11 202.225.6231
Joseph Courtney D CT 2 202.225.2076
Susan Davis D CA 53 202.225.2040
David Davis R TN 1 202.225.6356
Vernon Ehlers R MI 3 202.225.3831
Luis Fortuno R PR 202.225.2615
Virginia Foxx R NC 5 202.225.2071
Raul Grijalva D AZ 7 202.225.2435
Phil Hare D IL 17 202.225.5905
Ruben Hinojosa D TX 15 202.225.2531
Mazie Hirono D HI 2 202.225.4906
Peter Hoekstra R MI 2 202.225.4401
Rush Holt D NJ 12 202.225.5801
Bob Inglis R SC 4 202.225.6030
Ric Keller R FL 8 202.225.2176
Dale Kildee D MI 5 202.225.3611
John Kline R MN 2 202.225.2271
Dennis Kucinich D OH 10 202.225.5871
Randy Kuhl R NY 29 202.225.3161
Dave Loebsack D IA 2 202.225.6576
Kenny Marchant R TX 24 202.225.6605
Carolyn McCarthy D NY 4 202.225.5516
Howard McKeon R CA 25 202.225.1956
Cathy McMorris Rodgers R WA 5 202.225.2006
George Miller D CA 7 202.225.2095
Donald Payne D NJ 10 202.225.3436
Thomas Petri R WI 6 202.225.2476
Todd Platts R PA 19 202.225.5836
Tom Price R GA 6 202.225.4501
Linda Sanchez D CA 39 202.225.6676
John Sarbanes D MD 3 202.225.4016
Bobby Scott D VA 3 202.225.8351
Joe Sestak D PA 7 202.225.2011
Carol Shea-Porter D NH 1 202.225.5456
Mark Souder R IN 3 202.225.4436
John Tierney D MA 6 202.225.8020
Tim Walberg R MI 7 202.225.6276
Joe Wilson R SC 2 202.225.2452
Lynn Woolsey D CA 6 202.225.5161
David Wu D OR 1 202.225.0855
John Yarmuth D KY 3 202.225.5401

]]> By: mrfitz http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80891 mrfitz Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80891 "Any legal precedent on that, or are you just giving your opinion?" I'm a tech for the university. The university is considered an ISP. At least, that's what they tell me. It makes some sense, considering they provide internet service to thousands of people. “Any legal precedent on that, or are you just giving your opinion?”

I’m a tech for the university. The university is considered an ISP. At least, that’s what they tell me. It makes some sense, considering they provide internet service to thousands of people.

]]> By: Brian Carnell http://boingboing.net/2007/11/11/corrupt-congressmen.html#comment-80893 Brian Carnell Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-80893 "I'm a tech for the university. The university is considered an ISP. At least, that's what they tell me. It makes some sense, considering they provide internet service to thousands of people." I work at a university as well, and I've never heard anyone express the view that we're a de facto ISP. In fact, many of the policies at quite a few universities would have to be very different if universities generally considered themselves ISPs. And the number of people we provide Internet services to is irrelevant. I worked at a Fortune 500 company that had far more employees than most universities have students, yet it was clearly not an ISP. I'd assume that legally a university would be closer to that of a large corporation, though IANAL. Regardless, clearly this proposed bill would establish obligations for universities that no normal ISP would have to meet. “I’m a tech for the university. The university is considered an ISP. At least, that’s what they tell me. It makes some sense, considering they provide internet service to thousands of people.”

I work at a university as well, and I’ve never heard anyone express the view that we’re a de facto ISP. In fact, many of the policies at quite a few universities would have to be very different if universities generally considered themselves ISPs.

And the number of people we provide Internet services to is irrelevant. I worked at a Fortune 500 company that had far more employees than most universities have students, yet it was clearly not an ISP. I’d assume that legally a university would be closer to that of a large corporation, though IANAL.

Regardless, clearly this proposed bill would establish obligations for universities that no normal ISP would have to meet.

]]>