osOpinion: Security Rules - the SSSCA's Potential Harm to the Digital Lifestyle

[ Thanks to Kelly McNeill for this link. ]

"A controversial law was recently drafted, although not yet introduced, by U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings (D-South Carolina), chairman of the Senate Commerce committee, and Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), titled "The Security Systems Standards and Certification Act" (SSSCA).

If made into law, the proposed bill would make it illegal to "manufacture, import, offer to the public, provide or otherwise traffic in" digital devices that do not use "certified security technologies."

The SSSCA, if enacted, will have serious negative affects on free software, most specifically to open-source operating systems such as Linux. This is because a DRM (digital rights management) scheme as proposed within the SSSCA requires operating system-level support."

Complete Story

Related Stories:

• Linux Journal: Open Letter to Michael Eisner, Chairman and CEO, Walt Disney Company (Sep 16, 2001)
• Linux Weekly News for September 13, 2001(Sep 13, 2001)
• Ideas: The SSSCA and its potential effects(Sep 11, 2001)
• Wired: New Copyright Bill Heads to DC(Sep 08, 2001)