UCITA: The Evolution of Information Licensing
UCITA is the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act. This is the next
generation of state legislation governing the way software, multimedia products,
computer data, and online informationis licensed.UCITA was developed by the
National Conference of Commisioners on Uniform State Laws.
Before we get into any further information on this issue, I think it is important
to note that I am opposed to this legislation. The quick answer as to why I
feel this way is that this legislation is clearly skewed toward the rights of
corporations with less protection for consumers than is present in current laws.
I say this here to shed some light on my perspective on this issue. If you find
the background and links on this page leaning toward opposition.of UCITA, that
is the reason. I am not intentionally omitting any pro-UCITA information. If
you know of links that would help to round out this discussion, please send
them to me, I'll be happy to include them.
Whether you agree with me or not, it is important for you to be aware of this
discussion because it will affect all of our lives in significant ways. Considering
the scope of the role that software and information play in our current lives
and the generally accepted position that both the amount and the importance
of information is accelerating, now is clearly the time to have the conversation
about how we interact with the people that provide the information infrastructure
and who is allowed to do what with our increasingly digitized lives.
Unfortunately, from my perspective, glimpses of the future have already been
seen in Draconian measures like the Digital
Milenium Copyright Act . The DMCA became law in October, 1998. The tests
of the DMCA since then have had more to do with controlling the rights of distribution
rather than the stated concern for respect for intellectual property. The timeline
link above is a good place to start on DMCA, but without going into a long
discussion about the details, this is an example of the type of legislation
that is being crafted in response to a perception that digital equals cyber
equals lawlessness.
I offer this list of links as an invitation to become informed if not involved
in the discussion on the future of software licensing in this country. I would
appreciate it if you also view this as an invitation to inform me of resources
and arguments that are not made here. I welcome the gains in understanding that
come from a respectful debate. "I may not agree with what you say, but
I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Voltaire
- UCITA
- Content of the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act from University
of Pensilvania Law School
- National Conference of Commissioners on
Uniform State Law
- The drafting body of UCITA (fact
sheet, Questions
and Answers)
- States Information
on UCITA
- Information on what is going on in the states with regard to UCITA
- UCITA Online
- A website devoted to UCITA information
- Richard Stallman: Why
we must fight the UCITA
- Richard is the leader of the Free Software Foundation and GNU and a pioneer
in the world of Free Software. (Think "free speech" not "free
beer")
- The Computer
Professionals for Social Responsibility information on UCITA
- CPSR is a group founded in 1981 to discuss the threats to scociety posed
by technology and how to use the technology responsibly.
- Software &Information
Industry Association
- This is an industry group that is backing UCITA.
- Association of Research
Libraries
- ARL is one of the groups that opposes UCITA
- UCITA: Objections
from the Consumer Perspective
- by Jean Braucher, Roger Henderson Professor of Law, University of Arizona
© 2001 Larry Mills-Gahl
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