It was thanks to the work of independent security researchers that the security risks in Sony-BMG's copy protected CDs were discovered. But what about the copy-protected CDs being sold by EMI labels (including Virgin, Capitol, and Liberty Records), which use similar copy protection technologies from Macrovision Corporation?
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"The proposed settlement will provide significant benefits for consumers who bought the flawed CDs," said EFF Legal Director Cindy Cohn. "Under the terms, those consumers will get what they thought they were buying--music that will play on their computers without restriction or security risk. EFF is continuing discussions with Sony...

The suspense is over. After a weeks-long game of brinksmanship, the Senate and House have agreed to extend the sunsetting provisions of PATRIOT--which were scheduled to expire on December 31st--until February 3rd. The President plans on signing the bill.
We'd prefer that these PATRIOT provisions not be extended...

On the heels of the Senate's vote for a six-month PATRIOT extension, here's the latest from the Associated Press:
The House passed a one-month extension of the Patriot Act on Thursday and sent it to the Senate for final action as Congress scrambled to prevent expiration of...

Yesterday, Magistrate Judge Gorenstein of the federal court for the Southern District of New York issued an opinion permitting the government to use cell site data to track a cell phone's physical location, without the government having to obtain a search warrant based on probable cause.
Judge Gorenstein's...

My most recent column at Law.com, "Sony-BMG's Copy-Protection Quagmire", describes the various legal theories that have been brought against Sony-BMG over the CD copy-protection debacle. The quick summary: more than a dozen class action suits filed around the country, based on a mix of state anti-spyware statutes, the federal...

Displaying political courage too rarely seen, the Volusia County Council today voted to reject Diebold's proposal for a paperless e-voting system and instead adopt a more expensive contract with competitor ES&S. This contract will eventually lead to the use of a ballot marking system that will ensure an auditable, voter-verified...