Category archives: EFF

 

 

Carpathia wants to delete orphaned Megaupload data, pay the bills

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The Federal shut down of Megaupload did more than jail its founders, scare its competitors and worry its users — it also left Carpathia Hosting footing a $9,000 a day bill. The outfit previously agreed to preserve Megaupload’s frozen data, but now that the service’s unpaid bills are piling up, it’s ready to change its tune. In a emergency motion filed with the U.S. Federal Court in Virginia, Carpathia asked the court to either take the data off its hands, pay it for retaining the data or else allow it to delete the data altogether after allowing users to reclaim their files. The hosting service won’t take action on its own, it says, as that might “risk a claim by a party with an interest in the data,” such as the Motion Picture Association of America. With any luck, the matter will be settled in a court hearing next month. If not? Well, we’ll just take it as a lesson: back up locally , you never know when your files might get wrapped up in the legal system. Carpathia wants to delete orphaned Megaupload data, pay the bills originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 08:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Huffington Post | Email this | Comments

 

Last chance to clear out Google Web History before the great data convergence

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The end is nigh! For about 59 different Google ToS documents at least. After today, the new consolidated privacy policy will go into effect, which will also consolidate much of your data across Google’s properties. That means this is your last chance to clear out El Goog’s “you archives” before the great convergence of 2012. If you’re not keen on Google sharing your information between its various products (though, you seemed to be okay with it being collected in the first place) today is the day to go and delete it all. Of particular concern for some is Web History, which collects your searches and sites visited and has, until now, been walled off from the rest of the Google empire. For complete instructions for how to clear out your Google Web History hit up the source link. Last chance to clear out Google Web History before the great data convergence originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink Slashdot , IT World | EFF | Email this | Comments

 

The Engadget Interview: the EFF's Mitch Stoltz talks the legality of jailbreaking

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The work of a non-profit advocacy group is never done. It seems like just yesterday that the Electronic Frontier Foundation was waging a battle to put jailbreaking rights into the hands of consumers, much to the chagrin of manufacturers intent on maintaining control over their devices after they leave store shelves. With the looming expiration of an exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that has made such hacks legal, the organization is once again taking up the cause . And this time, it’s added tablets and gaming consoles to its proposal. We sat down with EFF staff attorney Mitch Stoltz to discuss the state of the law and how users can help in the fight. Continue reading The Engadget Interview: the EFF’s Mitch Stoltz talks the legality of jailbreaking The Engadget Interview: the EFF’s Mitch Stoltz talks the legality of jailbreaking originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | | Email this | Comments

 

Megaupload co-founder's bail appeal rejected

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While users housing content on the troubled Megaupload site were given a two-week reprieve , one of its co-founders is having less luck. Kim Dotcom has lost his appeal for bail, with prosecutors fearing that he would flee from New Zealand and return to his native Germany, possibly making him safe from extradition. According to the BBC, the prosecution alleged that Dotcom — formerly Kim Schmitz — had multiple passports and bank accounts, and “a history of fleeing criminal charges.” His next court appearance his scheduled for February 22nd. Megaupload co-founder’s bail appeal rejected originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink BBC | | Email this | Comments

 

Megaupload users' data to be kept another two weeks, EFF to help folks retrieve it

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Megaupload’s digital doors may have been closed due to the presence of pirated materials, but there’s still the matter of all that legal content residing on its servers. Naturally, folks want their files back, but now that the government’s gotten what it needs, the hosting companies no longer need to keep the data around because Megaupload’s no longer paying them to do so. Carpathia Hosting and Cogent Communications, however, have decided to preserve the data for another two weeks while a deal is brokered with the DOJ for its release. In the meantime, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has teamed up with Carpathia to create a website that puts folks in touch with EFF attorneys so users can try to retrieve their data. No word as to what legal wrangling the EFF can do to make it happen, but those affected can get the wheels of justice started at the source below. Megaupload users’ data to be kept another two weeks, EFF to help folks retrieve it originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink The Inquirer , CNET | MegaRetrieval.com | Email this | Comments

 

Jailbreaking exemption to DMCA is about to expire, EFF would rather it didn't

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Back in 2010, the US Copyright Office added a set of anti-circumvention exemptions to the DMCA , effectively making it legal for smartphone users to jailbreak and/or root their devices. These exemptions, however, were never made permanent and now, they’re about to expire. The EFF doesn’t want this to happen, which is why it’s decided to launch a campaign dedicated to the jailbreaking cause. With this initiative, the EFF is hoping to convince the Copyright Office to renew its exemptions and expand them to a wider range of devices, including tablets and video game consoles. To achieve this, the organization is calling upon programmers and other jailbreaking enthusiasts to contact the Copyright Office directly, explaining why the ability to freely modify software is so vital to their lives or livelihoods. As the EFF argues, “Concrete examples will help show the Copyright Office why they should renew and expand the exemptions for jailbreaking.” If you’re interested in getting involved, you can contact the Copyright Office at the coverage link below, though all comments are due by February 5th. Hit up the source link for more details on the EFF’s involvement. Jailbreaking exemption to DMCA is about to expire, EFF would rather it didn’t originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink Android Community | Electronic Frontier Foundation | Email this | Comments