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HIGH-TECH FAILURE

The Semiconductor Chip Protection Act, or SCPA, is similar to copyright. The law applies only to the design of semiconductor chips, which include microprocessors, computer memory, and other electronic devices at the heart of computer hardware. Their circuits are designed into "masks" that are used in manufacturing. The SCPA prohibits unauthorized copying of the masks while allowing competitors to examine chips to learn how they work. SCPA is generally regarded as a failure. The technology of semiconductor chips has changed so fast that the statute is no longer relevant to the industry it was intended to protect. Many commentators see this as an example of the danger of enacting laws for a specific technology.