Virginia Adopts Controversial
Software Law
Virginia became the first state in the nation to adopt controversial legislation standardizing rules governing software purchases and other commerce for electronic information when Gov. Jim Gilmore signed the Uniform Computer Information Transaction Act March 14.
UCITA, which has been introduced in legislatures in four other states and the District of Columbia, is supported by software companies seeking additional protection for their licenses and copyrights. However, it is opposed by the American Library Association, the Federal Trade Commission, and consumer and writers’ groups, who fear it will endanger fair-use and consumer-protection laws.
Miriam Nisbet, legislative counsel for ALA’s Washington Office, told the Associated Press that UCITA rewrites copyright law to benefit electronic publishers at the expense of library users and others who want to copy or use written materials. Warning that school children may not be allowed to copy library materials for class projects, Nisbet noted, “Your taxpayer money has gone to purchasing these products for the library, yet your child is not able to utilize them.”
Posted March 20, 2000.
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