Thursday, January 20, 2005

Jail for P2P developers

A new bill in California is asking for jail time for P2P developers. That's right, if you produce some software that can be used to exchange files through a network, then you can be thrown to jail. The stupidity of this bill is monumental for so many reasons, and works on so many levels. For example, they define P2P as:

"'peer-to-peer file sharing software' means software that once installed and launched, enables the user to connect his or her computer to a network of other computers on which the users of these computers have made available recording or audiovisual works for electronic dissemination to other users who are connected to the network."

So, this would make internet developers into offenders. FTP developing should also be covered by this. Not only that, Windows XP has some built-in technology that allows sharing files through a network, doesn't that mean that good ol' Bill should spend some time in the slammer?

No comments: