Interesting little story in the Times today about the struggle to get Hacking The Xbox published:

Wiley Technology Publishing, a unit of John Wiley & Sons, agreed last year to publish the book. But after Mr. Huang delivered the manuscript five months ago, the publisher backed out over concerns that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 made it illegal to disseminate information about how to circumvent copyright protection.

Through his own effort (and with the help of the EFF) the author, Andrew Huang, got the book into print, but this is yet another example of the chilling effect of the DMCA. Its constant threat causes us to censor ourselves, fearing retaliation from corporations.

As more of our everyday culture and speech is classified as copyrighted, patented, or as trade secret, we will find few avenues of expression that don't require the consent (and payment) of corporations. Under the DMCA's worst-case scenario, we'll be restricted to corporate-approved intellectual curiosity.