Wikipedia Scanner Proves ESA Altered Mod Chip Entries?
GamePolitics reports that the newly-released Wikipedia Scanner tool reveals that the ESA, which represents U.S. game publishers, altered Wikipedia entries on mod chips and Home of the Underdogs, an abandonware site. The changes were made over a timeframe stretching from August, 2006 to April, 2007. This preceded the raiding by Homeland Security agents of 32 locales because of alleged copyright violations - the agents were seeking mod chips.
While mod chips may certainly be used to play pirated game software, GamePolitics reminds us that they serve legit uses as well - creating homebrew games, for instance; moreover using Homeland Security agents to enforce "big business claims against U.S. citizens."
The changes themselves weren't overwhelming, but they did erase discussion of mod chips:
In one paragraph, someone at ESA deleted a nuanced discussion of mod chip legality with a flat assertion that they are illegal.
Less than a minute later, a lengthy section on the positive uses of mod chips was deleted, as was a notation that the US Supreme Court has not yet dealt with the DMCA.
Finally, a sentence stating that mod chips are legal in Australia was removed.
Make the jump to hear what the ESA has to say.
The ESA's Senior VP for IP enforcement, Ric Hirsch, made the following pitch to Wired:
Copyrights are not considered abandoned just because they are no longer commercially exploited or widely available. The copyrights in older games remain valid and enforceable regardless of whether they are found on store shelves or not, and copying or distributing those games is a copyright infringement.
I guess, ultimately, what's illegal is illegal. But we should absolutely still have discussions about the merits of disputed technology, and it's both scary and insulting for anyone in a position of power to intervene to steal our voices - that's a less definable but more oppressive theft than anyone booting up an old copy of Oil Barons.
Still worse is the misuse (or abuse) of freaking Homeland Security agents to "manage" the situation. Anyone concerned about actually keeping our homeland secure should raise an eyebrow at Homeland Security moonlighting as henchmen for the big money behind video games, of all the least-terroristy things... Or is the just the way things roll?
tiny dancer
Posted to Hot Stuff, Miscellany on 18 August 2007
· Comments (8)
Other stuff like this: esa, homeland security, hsa, mods, wikipedia
That's....just insane.
Behold people, your tax dollars in Bush hands.
yeah... this country has been making many colorful twists as of late... But in our history books it will be presented as a time of utopia thanks to our glorious leader! :D
It all makes you wonder when the US Department of We Don't Need a Charter To Remove Your Constitutional Rights will be created. Also have to think of just how long it will take future presidents, congress, and enraged citizens to remove all of the violations that were created to justify and legalize acts of the US government. Iraq anyone? Illegal wiretapping, arrests on grounds of treason for speaking under the protection of the the 1st Amendment... The list goes on and on. Just another way to use fear to keep people from really looking at what Our Fuhrer is using power for.
Unfortunately, Katsuya, there are a lot of Democrats in the pocket of the copyright cartel as well. It's not just Bush and his cronies; their specialty is oil and everything surrounding it. Don't forget for a moment that the DMCA was passed by a unanimous vote and signed by Bill Clinton.
I do tend to vote Democrat, but it certainly isn't for their stance on imaginary property. Copyright reform in this country is very much a fringe issue, and will remain that way until the media isn't dominated by the corporations with the most to lose to copyright reform.
It was Bill Clinton who signed his autograph to the DMCA.
As much as I fear and loath the Right in this country, the Democrats do not represent any true opposition. They're all fascists interested only in appeasing their corporate sponsors; our (fair-use) rights get in their way.
I'll never vote for a Democrat any faster than I would a Republican.
I agree with that Raindog, but the big thing I'm going to worry about with the Democrats is their 'OMG VIDEO GAMES ARE VIOLENT' crap. And with talk about Hillary running in 2008, sadly, that will be my fear.
@Draz:
"But in our history books it will be presented as a time of utopia thanks to our glorious leader!"
Is anyone concerned that with shenanigans such as these portend? With the meshing of projects such as Wikipedia and OneLaptopPerChild, textbooks really could one day have nuanced discussions of difficult subject matter, then proclamations of "smiles, win, and candy for all" the next. . . .
What is the remedy for a society such as this? Where is our anti-Winston Smith?
If the OLPC guys ever get their "wikipedia, only distributed" thing going, maybe that'll be the anti-Big-Brother device.
But anything electronic is both more resistant to and more subject to tampering, as we've seen with this whole Wikipedia Scanner thing. We just have to find ways to cope.