FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29th, 2007

Protesters in Hazmat suits greet guests at Microsoft Vista launch parties in New York. Technology activists label Vista ‚"Defective By Design‚" and call for consumer boycott.

-New York, January 29, 2007

As Bill Gates declares the ‚"Wow starts now‚" technology activists declare the launch of Vista to be an "Ow starts now," for citizens rights.

Greeting lunch guests at the swank Cipriani's in midtown Manhattan, and later at the nearby Nokia Theater launch party, protesters wearing Hazmat suits and carrying banners calling for Vista to be dumped helped provide an alternative vista for Microsoft's celebrity attendees.

Zune Delivers Restricted Music and Entertainment Experience. Integrated Digital Restrictions technology hamper functionality that could revolutionize the user experience of portable entertainment devices.

Boston, Mass. — November. 14, 2006 — Marking the next big milestone in Treacherous Computing and Digital Restrictions Management. Microsoft today released the first product under the Zune brand. Designed around the principles of control, restriction and isolation, Zune will create new ways for consumers to be locked in to file formats and DRM platforms while trying to enjoy music, movies and the videos they love. The Zune experience centers around restrictions— restrictions to your music and video libraries, on sharing with friends, restrictions on the commons and connection to other devices. Just about everything in fact.

-June 30, 2006

The direct action campaign DefectiveByDesign.org, today called for all technologists to sign the petition calling upon Bono the lead singer of U2, to take a stand against Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) . The campaign aims to collect 10,000 signatures, at which point they will seek an audience with Bono, and discuss with him the threats posed by DRM.

The group has focused on Bono because of his social activism and leadership in the music industry. Bono and the band U2 have helped encourage the media companies to distribute music online. U2's endorsement of the iPod has led to a huge financial windfall for Apple's iTunes. The problem is, all Apple's iTunes music is distributed with DRM handcuffs. The campaign is asking Bono to take a lead in encourage the removal of these handcuffs.

PRESS RELEASE

June 10, 2006

Campaign's rapid rise targets Apple Inc., with Flash Mobs appearing in multiple city locations across the United States.

Many places, June 10 2006:
In a coordinated action at 8 cities across the United States, technologists donned bright yellow Hazmat suits and swarmed Apple Stores, warning shoppers and staff that Apple iTunes are infected with Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) and that Apple's products are defective by design.

The technologists displayed posters mocking Apple's marketing campaign, with graphic images of a silhouetted iPod users bound by the ubiquitous white earbud cord. The group claim that as the largest purveyor of media infected with DRM, Apple have paved the way for the further erosion of users' rights and freedoms made possible by the technology.

MEDIA ADVISORY
Saturday, June 10th 11am (local time) - Technologists to descend upon Apple Stores throughout the USA, in flash mob actions warning consumers about Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) found in Apple's iPod and iTunes.

DRM is the annoying technology imposed by the movie and music industry that is quickly becoming a hot topic for consumers.

The grass roots group DefectiveByDesign.org has caused controversy within the on-line Community with their high profile events that have seen Hazmat suit wearing protesters targeting high-tech companies for distributing defective products containing DRM.

To schedule an interview about the campaign or for more details about the event, please contact Ted Teah at the Free Software Foundation (+1 617-542-5942 x20) or Henri Poole at CivicActions (+1 510-684-3180).

Seattle, May 23 2006

PROTESTERS PROVIDE A NASTY "VISTA" FOR GATES - Hazmat Suits Greet Microsoft Developers As They Gather For Annual Conference

As Microsoft developers gathered in Seattle to hear Bill Gates's keynote speech on the future of Microsoft and the coming release of its updated operating system Vista, protesters wearing bright yellow Hazmat suits swarmed the entrance of the city's convention center, delivering an unsettling message to the corporation: your product is defective and hazardous to users.