Novell Inc. Companies like Novell, concerned over rampant cyberpiracy, are backing legislative efforts to protect their on-line material. The bill seeks market-based solutions to the theft of text, graphics, movies and sound files. It would encourage Internet content providers to use encryption devices and clearly identify copyright material. The bill would also outlaw software and services used to circumvent technology designed to protect original works. It would also make it illegal to tamper with or alter copyright identification information.
Some groups are opposed to the legislation.
The Digital Future Coalition, an organization representing several academic and civil liberties groups, has expressed concern that the bill would undermine the 'fair use doctrine' that allows organizations to freely use certain copyright material for educational purposes. Schools and libraries fear the bill would make it harder for them to copy and study information from the Internet. That isn't theft. It isn't piracy. Profit motive Computer users are also resisting having to pay for access to information they are accustomed to getting for free.