p2pnet - rss feed: France’s new DRM watchdog
p2pnet.net news:- France has announced a new DRM (Digital Restrictions Management) watchdog tasked with ensuring so-called copyright protection systems, “are are made compatible and do not prevent users of copyrighted work to benefit from copyright exceptions,” says Nicolas Jondet on French-Law.net.
Thought to be the world’s first such agency, “Already its mere introduction in French law eight months ago may have played a pivotal role in Apple’s recent decision to change its DRM policy and promote DRM-free music,” says Jondet, going on:
The creation of the Regulatory Authority for Technical Measures, Autorité de Régulation des Mesures Techniques (the ARMT) was one of the main features of the new French copyright law (known as the Dadvsi law ) which was passed in August.
The ARMT is the cornerstone of the law’s attempt to solve problems generated by DRMs, the technology used by copyright holders to control how consumers can access and use digital content. Two concerns were raised by French lawmakers. First, DRMs are not interoperable meaning that, for example, music bought on Apple’s iTunes store can only be played on Apple’s iPod. Second, DRMs can prevent users from performing acts that are legally allowed, such as making copies of music or movies for private use.
The decree issued by the government on the 4th April sets up the long-awaited authority which will have to solve these issues. The dadvsi law and the decree define the missions, composition, procedure and powers of the ARMT by adding various articles to that effect in the French Intellectual Property Code (the IPC).
Will France’s new DRM watchdog have teeth? And if so, will it be picked up elsewhere in the rest of Europe and the world?
Stay tuned.
Also See:
French-Law.net - DRM watchdog established in France, April 11, 2007
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