MAGIC Speaker Series welcomes Kendra Albert

Talk title: The Angry Birds in the Coal Mine: The History and Future of Video Games, Reverse Engineering, and Digital Rights ManagementTalk abstract: The popularity of video games, and the sprawling fandoms they create have engendered massive battles over who controls these artistic works. What digital rights measures are appropriate as protection against unauthorized copying or use? And whose rights should trump when there is conflict between digital rights management and a fan_s ability to play games? This talk will show how early efforts by Blizzard to prosecute rogue Warcraft server admins and World of Warcraft botters shaped the law, and reflect upon how those changes create modern day barriers to video game preservation and continued play.Kendra Albert is a third-year JD candidate at Harvard Law School. When not in class, she co-runs the interdisciplinary discussion group Angry Tech Salon and its sister video game discussion group, ATS Plays. Before starting school, she worked as a research associate at the Berkman Center. She_s also done stints at CloudFlare, Zeitgeist Legal Group, Public Citizen and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, where she co-filed a DMCA _1201 exemption for video game archiving and continued play.This talk is co-sponsored by the Department of Public Policy