[wordup] USENIX endorses the anti ATA and SSSCA stance

[Adam Shand]

For those that don't know USENIX is a pretty large industry group which
supports computer engineers, administrators, programmers etc.  By and
large they are good guys and run some kick ass conferences.

Via: Robert Tarrall <tarrall at xxxx.neighborhoodlink.com>
From: http://www.usenix.org/whatsnew/legislation.html

Proposed Legislation Significantly Affecting Computer Profession
October 3, 2001

The USENIX Board of Directors has decided to alert our membership that
bills pending before the U.S. Congress or in committee appear to have a
detrimental impact on computer professionals.

We are most concerned about aspects of two proposed bills, the
Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and the Security Systems Standards and
Certification Act (SSSCA), and how they interact with existing legislation
such as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and the Digital Millennium
Copyright Act.  The ATA redefines virtually all computer crime as
terrorism, enlarges the maximum penalty to life in prison without parole,
allows broad pre-conviction seizures, and, furthermore, does this
retroactively, removing the existing statute of limitations. The SSSCA
essentially mandates copyright protection in all digital consumer devices
and makes disabling or avoidance of copyright mechanisms a felony offense.

More information about these and related issues can be found at:
http://www.usenix.org/whatsnew/legislation.html

Similar legislation is being considered in other jurisdictions including
Canada and some states.

If you believe that provisions of these or similar acts are inappropriate,
we strongly encourage you to contact your elected representatives as soon
as possible and register your opinions.

                                Sincerely,
                        The USENIX Board of Directors
                    http://www.usenix.org/directory/board.html