12 YEARS OF DMCA MISUSE: //
APPLE THREATENS BLUWIKI
MICROSOFT THREATENS SLASHDOT
In 2009, Apple threatened the free wiki hosting site BluWiki for hosting a discussion by hobbyists about reverse engineering iPods to interoperate with software other than Apple’s own iTunes. Without a work-around, iPod and iPhone owners would be unable to use third-party software, such as Winamp or Songbird, to “sync” their media collections between computer and iPod or iPhone device.
In spring 2000, Microsoft invoked the DMCA against the Internet publication forum Slashdot, demanding that the forum moderators delete materials relating to Microsoft’s proprietary implementation of an open security standard known as Kerberos
PROFESSOR FELTEN’S RESEARCH TEAM THREATENED
In September 2000, a multi-industry association referred to as the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) issued a public challenge encouraging skilled technologists to try to defeat certain watermarking technologies that are intended to protect digital music. Princeton computer science professor Edward Felten and a team of researchers at Princeton, Rice, and then Xerox took up the challenge and succeeded in removing the watermarks from the music and were then threatened with liabillity under the DMCA.
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CHAPTER 2 //: THREATS
In the Slashdot forum, several individuals alleged Microsoft had changed the open, non proprietary version of Kerberos specification in order to prevent non Microsoft servers from interacting with Windows 2000. Many speculated that this move was intended to force users to purchase Microsoft server software technology.
GAMESPY MENACES RESEARCHER WITH DMCA
Luigi Auriemma of Italy attracted the attention GameSpy’s lawyers after publishing details on his website regarding security vulnerabilities in GameSpy’s online services. In November 2003, GameSpy’s lawyers sent a cease and desist letter to Auriemma, threatening civil and criminal penalties under the DMCA. According to GameSpy, Auriemma was publishing key generators and other piracy tools, rather than simply vulnerability research.