UCITA and You...

The Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA) is a "contract law statute that would apply to computer software, multimedia products, computer data and databases, online information and other such products." (http://www.cpsr.org/program/UCITA/ucita-fact.html)

While this statute is strongly supported by the Software and Information Industry Association, the Business Software Alliance and some other industry groups, it has shortcomings which have led 26 state attorneys general to oppose it, as has the Federal Trade Commission, the Association for Computing Machinery, the Free Software Foundation, Consumers Union, the IEEE, the Association of Research Libraries and many others.

We urge you to review the facts about UCITA, since it has the potential to dramatically impact your rights when it comes to software contracts and access to online information. For useful background information, see:

Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility UCITA Fact Sheet http://www.cpsr.org/program/UCITA/ucita-fact.html

The text of the Act itself http://www.law.upenn.edu/bll/ulc/ucita/ucita200.htm

Comments on the Act http://www.law.upenn.edu/bll/ulc/ucita/ucitacom300.htm

Approved amendments relating to the Act http://www.law.upenn.edu/bll/ulc/ucita/approveamend.htm

Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act Consumer Advocates' Site http://www.consumerlaw.org/ucita/index.html

ALA UCITA: State Copyright Law Intersects Federal Copyright Law http://www.ala.org/washoff/ucita.html