Re: [dvd-discuss] Fwd: FC: California woman sues CD company over user-tracking technology

[Tom <tom(at)lemuria.org>]

On Fri, Sep 07, 2001 at 01:27:54AM -0400, Wendy Seltzer wrote:
> >includes a proprietary electronic music scheme in conjunction with 
> >Sunncomm (also
> >named in the suit) technology that tracks, stores, and disseminates 
> >specific consumer
> >personal identifying information, listening data, and downloading habits 
> >to entities
> >beyond the control of the consumer. There is no practical way to opt-out 
> >of the data
> >collection or destroy the data once it is collected.

a notice that might be of interest here: in Germany, this activity
would violate the BDSG (privacy law) and most likely the TDSV as well
(privacy law specific to telecommunications, including downloads). for
breaking the TDSV a company can be fined up to one million german marks
(about $500,000). the fine on breaking the BDSG is 50,000 marks ($25,000) 
*per violation*.

industry, WIPO, DOJ, etc. are constantly arguing "this is illegal
somewhere else ... we must harmonize the laws" - why not play the same
game with them? why not collect all the GOOD laws somewhere and point
to them, asking why your country doesn't have something like that?

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