Case Law Analysis

Abstract

Felten was a council member of EFF, and he was also a professor of computer science and public affairs of Princeton University. In addition, he was one founder of the information and technology policy center of Princeton University. Felten once took part in many lawsuits against RIAA and Microsoft. In the case of “America charging Microsoft”, Felten played the role of the chief expert witness of computer science of the Ministry of Justice of America. In this case, Microsoft was accused of abusing its monopoly position in fields of operating system and browser. Felten and his group once cracked the SDMI (Secure Digital Music Initiative) music encryption technology, but he suffered legal threat when he prepared to publish an essay on cracking technologies. In 2001, People including Felten accused RIAA and SDMI with the help of EFF, requesting the court affirm that the publishing of an essay on cracking technology was not illegal. He even doubted that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act went against the constitutional spirits.