EFF Clear Channel challenge
p2p news / p2pnet: An "illegitimate patent" from Clear Channel Communications locks musical acts into using its technology and blocks innovations by others, says the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation).
In a challenge filed today, "Clear Channel claims that its patent creates a monopoly on all-in-one technologies that produce post-concert live recordings on digital media and has threatened to sue anyone who makes such recordings with a different system," says the foundation.
"This has forced bands like the Pixies into using Clear Channel’s proprietary technology, and it hurts investment and innovation in new systems developed by other companies.
The re-examination request lodged with the United States Patent and Trademark Office shows a company named Telex had developed similar technology more than a year before Clear Channel filed its patent request.
The EFF, in conjunction with Theodore C. McCullough of the Lemaire Patent Law Firm and with the help of students at the Glushko-Samuelson Intellectual Property Clinic at American University’s Washington College of Law, now wants the patent office to revoke the patent.
"The patent system serves an important public purpose in our economy," said EFF lawyer Jason Schultz. "Keeping illegitimate patents out of that system helps up-and-coming artists and entrepreneurs succeed for all of us."
The Clear Channel challenge is part of EFF’s Patent Busting Project, aimed at combating the chilling effects bad patents have on public and consumer interests, it says.
Also See:
EFF – EFF Challenges Clear Channel Recording Patent, February 14, 2006
February 15th, 2006 at 3:52 am
Hope like hell that the EEF wins this one!!!!!!
February 15th, 2006 at 10:58 pm
>February 10, 2006
EFF warns against Google Desktop
Government technology Law enforcement Justice Privacy Google
News of a feature in the new Google Desktop app that lets users upload their hard disk contents to Google servers and then download them to another machine on their local network is a privacy disaster in the making says the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Given the backdrop of the Justice Dept. subpoenas of Google search information and revelations that several search companies have turned over information, EFF finds Google’s timing shocking.
“Coming on the heels of serious consumer concern about government snooping into Google’s search logs, it’s shocking that Google expects its users to now trust it with the contents of their personal computers,” said EFF Staff Attorney Kevin Bankston. “If you use the Search Across Computers feature and don’t configure Google Desktop very carefully—and most people won’t—Google will have copies of your tax returns, love letters, business records, financial and medical files, and whatever other text-based documents the Desktop software can index. The government could then demand these personal files with only a subpoena rather than the search warrant it would need to seize the same things from your home or business, and in many cases you wouldn’t even be notified in time to challenge it. Other litigants—your spouse, your business partners or rivals, whoever—could also try to cut out the middleman (you) and subpoena Google for your files.”
EFF’s Cindy Cohn says the disparity between privacy protection for information stored online as opposed to your local hard drive means there’s a need for a legislative fix.
“This Google product highlights a key privacy problem in the digital age,” said Cindy Cohn, EFF’s Legal Director. “Many Internet innovations involve storing personal files on a service provider’s computer, but under outdated laws, consumers who want to use these new technologies have to surrender their privacy rights. If Google wants consumers to trust it to store copies of personal computer files, emails, search histories and chat logs, and still ‘not be evil,’ it should stand with EFF and demand that Congress update the privacy laws to better reflect life in the wired world.”
But in the larger context of unauthorized wiretapping in the war on terror, it’s questionable whether Congress would impede the Justice Dept’s data gathering abilities.<
FULL story quoted from: http://government.zdnet.com/?p=2015
OK, the link is broken or something, try copying and pasting. Then try to find the story if you can on your own. I’ve tried all I can to get it to go directly to were it’s supposed to can have failed you. I get these news alerts from ZDNet.com in my mailbox and thought you’d be interested in this one……..
February 19th, 2006 at 3:02 pm
If Clear Channels patent were to be revoked how long would it take before anyone else could use this technology.
Or will it be protracted for years with no-one gaining any benefit.
Anonymous