Cheers, Russell!

The reason that DRM is controversial is not because it “protects copyright” (it can’t accomplish this goal), but that it is a technical measure that can and is being abused to hide activities which if done transparently trough traditional means would likely be found illegal.

I said it the following way earlier today on my BLOG in a summary of copyright policy ideas.

http://www.digital-copyright.ca/node/1947

The lawful and largely uncontroversial uses of technical measures by copyright holders should be protected in appropriate laws outside of copyright (digital privacy protection, digital identity, e-commerce, etc). Uses of technical measures that circumvent the rights of Canadians or seek to bypass or obscure violations of Canadian law should not be lawful. This includes violations of the property rights in information technology (whether recording, editing, distribution or viewing technology), privacy rights, contract law, due process, or even copyright itself: all of which have been violated by existing examples of DRM.