California Student Arrested For Console Hacking

http://games.slashdot.org/story/09/08/04/1319221/California-Student-Arrested-For-Console-Hacking?from=rss

http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/04/console-hacker-arrested-faces-up-to-ten-years-in-jail/

The DMCA makes it illegal to "circumvent an access control". That means it's illegal to modify hardware you bought and own (like an Xbox). It exists purely for large media companies to use to bully consumers, and maintain their outdated business models.

Remember that your tax dollars pay for the enforcement of these laws (police, courts, etc), and if he ends up in jail it'll cost about $50,000 a year to keep him there. I guess it's all worth it though, we mustn't have people modding Xboxes they own.


"Passed on October 12, 1998 by a unanimous vote in the U.S. Senate and signed into law by President Bill Clinton on October 28, 1998"

Introduced in the House of Representatives as H.R. 2281 by Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC) on July 29, 1997

COSPONSORS(9), ALPHABETICAL:
Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-26] - 2/11/1998
Rep Bono Mack, Mary [CA-44] - 6/5/1998
Rep Bono, Sonny [CA-44] - 9/26/1997
Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] - 7/29/1997
Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4] - 7/29/1997
Rep Hyde, Henry J. [IL-6] - 7/29/1997
Rep McCollum, Bill [FL-8] - 1/27/1998
Rep Paxon, Bill [NY-27] - 6/5/1998
Rep Pickering, Charles W. "Chip" [MS-3] - 6/22/1998

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 105th Congress - 2nd Session:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=105&session=2&vote=00137