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DRM Here To Stay Says Government
The government has rejected calls to ban the
controversial Digital Rights Management (DRM) copyright system used to ‘protect’
the copying of downloaded music and videos.
The petition, registered on the Government’s
e-Petitions site, had the backing of 1,400 users but despite the increased
arguments over the need for DRM lately, the government has no plans to upset
the apple cart.
Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, recently announced that 
DRM
should be scrapped by the music studios. Considering Apple’s iTunes is one of the most copyright protected
download services, this was quite a U-turn. Since then, some music studios have
countered that they have no plans to ditch DRM.
The petition was submitted by a member of the anti-DRM
group, Defective By Design, and claimed that DRM locked users into certain
services. In it’s official response, the government said:
“DRM does not only act as a policeman through
technical protection measures, it also enables content companies to offer the
consumer unprecedented choice in terms of how they consume content, and the
corresponding price they wish to pay. It is clear though that the needs and
rights of consumers must also be carefully safeguarded.”
DRM is certainly the hot potato right now and
something will happen this year. It just takes one big music publisher to dump
it and the others will be forced to either follow, or greatly loosen the DRM
noose. Which one will be first though?
Read the full government response here.
Consumers can get DRM dropped by the music industry very easily. Just refuse to buy music protected in this way and email the companies every time that a potential sale is lost this way, telling them it is because of the unfair treatment to consumers.
Posted by: | March 2, 2007 4:35 PM