In Denmark, it’s legal to make copies of commercial videos for backup or other private purposes. It’s also illegal to break the DRM that restricts copying of DVDs. Deciding to find out which law mattered, Henrik Anderson reported himself for 100 violations of the DRM-breaking law (he ripped his DVD collection to his computer) and demanded that the Danish anti-piracy Antipiratgruppen do something about. They promised him a response, then didn’t respond. So now he’s reporting himself to the police. He wants a trial, so that the legality of the DRM-breaking law can be tested in court.
Dane who ripped his DVDs demands to be arrested under DRM law - Boing Boing
Digital martyr.
(via david-noel) (via mikehudack)
This is known as civil disobedience. The part where he offers himself up as a demonstration of the unfairness of the punishment is the key difference - don’t refer to your illegal downloading as a form of protest unless you are actually demonstrating the flaws in the existing system.
A Hypothetical Query.
Upon (hypothetically) unlocking and jailbreaking my primary communications device, I asked a single question:
“I know a lot of developers - can I still buy apps from the store in the normal way?”
Meaning:
I will happily pay for applications (and prefer to do so if I have some connection to those developing the applications).
I consider paying for mobile software normal (moreso than I ever have for desktop / laptop software).
My (hypothetical) desire to jailbreak my primary communications device has little to do with a desire to get applications for free (therefore it must serve a need or a curiosity that can’t be served through ‘normal’ use of the device).
[The last question someone asks before doing something notable or disruptive is normally a source of at least this much information.]
