The ethics of DeCSS posting: towards assessing the morality of the Internet posting of DVD copyright circumvention software

<br><b>Introduction.</b> We investigate the conditions under which posting software known as 'DeCSS' on the Internet is ethical. DeCSS circumvents the access and copy control protection measures on commercial DVDs. Through our investigation, we point to limitations in cu...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: K.R. Eschenfelder, R.G. Howard, A.C. Desai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Borås 2006-01-01
Series:Information Research: An International Electronic Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:http://informationr.net/ir/11-4/paper273.html
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832572951307747328
author K.R. Eschenfelder
R.G. Howard
A.C. Desai
author_facet K.R. Eschenfelder
R.G. Howard
A.C. Desai
author_sort K.R. Eschenfelder
collection DOAJ
description <br><b>Introduction.</b> We investigate the conditions under which posting software known as 'DeCSS' on the Internet is ethical. DeCSS circumvents the access and copy control protection measures on commercial DVDs. Through our investigation, we point to limitations in current frameworks used to assess ethical computer based civil disobedience. <br><b>Method.</b> The paper draws on empirical findings of actual DeCSS posting to consider the limitations of current frameworks. Findings were generated from content analysis of Web sites that post DeCSS using search engine sampling with file name, language, and server location delimiters. Content analysis examined the number of Websites hosting DeCSS, the presence or absence of speech related to DeCSS and Free or Open Source software, and the arguments explaining DeCSS posting. <br><b>Analysis.</b> Drawing on theorizing from political philosophy and the existing frameworks, the paper compares characteristics of actual DeCSS posting to the existing frameworks. <br><b>Results.</b> The paper points out six areas that require further attention in ethical frameworks: determining motivation for posting, deciding whether some groups have more moral standing to post, assessing knowledge of the laws related to circumvention and posting, determining if protesters have taken related political actions, the legality of various formats of circumvention devices, and the physical geography of the participants.
format Article
id doaj-art-7170ba897c5842919e89acc350668fa0
institution Kabale University
issn 1368-1613
language English
publishDate 2006-01-01
publisher University of Borås
record_format Article
series Information Research: An International Electronic Journal
spelling doaj-art-7170ba897c5842919e89acc350668fa02025-02-02T06:17:57ZengUniversity of BoråsInformation Research: An International Electronic Journal1368-16132006-01-01114273The ethics of DeCSS posting: towards assessing the morality of the Internet posting of DVD copyright circumvention softwareK.R. EschenfelderR.G. HowardA.C. Desai<br><b>Introduction.</b> We investigate the conditions under which posting software known as 'DeCSS' on the Internet is ethical. DeCSS circumvents the access and copy control protection measures on commercial DVDs. Through our investigation, we point to limitations in current frameworks used to assess ethical computer based civil disobedience. <br><b>Method.</b> The paper draws on empirical findings of actual DeCSS posting to consider the limitations of current frameworks. Findings were generated from content analysis of Web sites that post DeCSS using search engine sampling with file name, language, and server location delimiters. Content analysis examined the number of Websites hosting DeCSS, the presence or absence of speech related to DeCSS and Free or Open Source software, and the arguments explaining DeCSS posting. <br><b>Analysis.</b> Drawing on theorizing from political philosophy and the existing frameworks, the paper compares characteristics of actual DeCSS posting to the existing frameworks. <br><b>Results.</b> The paper points out six areas that require further attention in ethical frameworks: determining motivation for posting, deciding whether some groups have more moral standing to post, assessing knowledge of the laws related to circumvention and posting, determining if protesters have taken related political actions, the legality of various formats of circumvention devices, and the physical geography of the participants.http://informationr.net/ir/11-4/paper273.htmlassessing the morality of the Internet posting of DVD copyright circumvention software
spellingShingle K.R. Eschenfelder
R.G. Howard
A.C. Desai
The ethics of DeCSS posting: towards assessing the morality of the Internet posting of DVD copyright circumvention software
Information Research: An International Electronic Journal
assessing the morality of the Internet posting of DVD copyright circumvention software
title The ethics of DeCSS posting: towards assessing the morality of the Internet posting of DVD copyright circumvention software
title_full The ethics of DeCSS posting: towards assessing the morality of the Internet posting of DVD copyright circumvention software
title_fullStr The ethics of DeCSS posting: towards assessing the morality of the Internet posting of DVD copyright circumvention software
title_full_unstemmed The ethics of DeCSS posting: towards assessing the morality of the Internet posting of DVD copyright circumvention software
title_short The ethics of DeCSS posting: towards assessing the morality of the Internet posting of DVD copyright circumvention software
title_sort ethics of decss posting towards assessing the morality of the internet posting of dvd copyright circumvention software
topic assessing the morality of the Internet posting of DVD copyright circumvention software
url http://informationr.net/ir/11-4/paper273.html
work_keys_str_mv AT kreschenfelder theethicsofdecsspostingtowardsassessingthemoralityoftheinternetpostingofdvdcopyrightcircumventionsoftware
AT rghoward theethicsofdecsspostingtowardsassessingthemoralityoftheinternetpostingofdvdcopyrightcircumventionsoftware
AT acdesai theethicsofdecsspostingtowardsassessingthemoralityoftheinternetpostingofdvdcopyrightcircumventionsoftware
AT kreschenfelder ethicsofdecsspostingtowardsassessingthemoralityoftheinternetpostingofdvdcopyrightcircumventionsoftware
AT rghoward ethicsofdecsspostingtowardsassessingthemoralityoftheinternetpostingofdvdcopyrightcircumventionsoftware
AT acdesai ethicsofdecsspostingtowardsassessingthemoralityoftheinternetpostingofdvdcopyrightcircumventionsoftware