French Anti-DRM Draft Law Gets Neutered (Possibly)

By | May 2nd, 2006 comments icon (5) Comments


apple itunes graphicBoingBoing’s buddies, the French tech advocacy group EUCD.info, got wind of major changes to the proposed draft law that would have forced DRM technologies like Apple’s FairPlay to become interoperable with third party digital music players and content services. At this point it’s all speculation until May 4th when the French Senate gets together to review the bill, but it’s now being forecasted to become the European equivalent of the DMCA.

Further Coverage:
Ars Technica – French DRM law gutted
The Inquirer – French committee surrenders on DRM law
CNET News – France backs down on iTunes DRM stance





Filed in: Industry Buzz

  • sdsdv10

    Oh, it gets even better….
    This article states that the new draft law, in addition to removing the requirements to open the DRM, will impose fines on people found illegally sharing files. This justs keeps getting better and better! :D

    Article Link

    Don

  • http://www.alexandergrundner.com Alexander Grundner

    Good eye, Don. You’re right… it just keeps getting worse. I wonder by the end of this if the French senators will end up creating laws even more restrictive than ours here in the US. Maybe countries should consider adopting copyright standards globally to protect everyone’s rights uniformly?

  • sdsdv10

    Maybe the Brits can come to the rescue….
    Here is an article from the UK about finally making it legal for a consumer to rip a CD to their computer for loading onto a DAP (something that has been going on for years anyway). It is just amazing how long it takes legislation to catch up with reality.

    Don

    UK Article link

  • http://www.alexandergrundner.com Alexander Grundner

    sdsdv10 said: Maybe the Brits can come to the rescue….
    Here is an article from the UK about finally making it legal for a consumer to rip a CD to their computer for loading onto a DAP (something that has been going on for years anyway).

    Sounds like they’re worse off than we are: “Some of the UK’s existing music copyright laws date back nearly 100 years, to the days when the gramophone was cutting-edge technology.”

    The funniest part is seeing senators trying to future-proof copyright legislation — see Feinstein, RIAA, & WB Want to Take Away Your Right to Record Satellite Radio. I enjoyed watching the C-SPAN coverage on this :D

  • sdsdv10

    This watered down version of the bill was passed by the French senate on Wednesday (see news link below).

    Article Link

    Don