[dvd-discuss] Teach ACT OF2001 -NOTHING to do with Teaching but DMCA Tothe

[John Schulien <jms(at)uic.edu>]

Another really nasty part of the law is that it dramatically narrows
the teaching exception.  Instead of *all" non-profit educational
institutions having the educational exemption available,, the bill
would restrict the educational exemption to "accredited" institutions
only.

This would have the effect of shutting out small web-based
educational startups, and also creating a new privileged class
of speaker -- in order to engage in teaching speech you now
would need special permission in the form of accreditation.

The wording of the explanation is particularly cynical.  Seems
that the web is creating too damn much democracy -- Time to
pass a new law freezing out the riffraff so that the "closed and
familar group" so beloved by Congress can continue with
business as usual.

This is an overwhelmingly nasty bill, top to bottom.

> As under the current section 110(2), the exemption, as amended, is
> limited to government bodies and non-profit educational institutions.
> However, due to the fact that, as the Register's Report points out,
> ``nonprofit educational institutions'' are no longer a closed and
> familiar group, and the ease with which anyone can transmit
educational
> material over the Internet, the amendment would require non-profit
> educational institutions to be ``accredited'' in order to provide
> further assurances that the institution is a bona fide educational
> institution.