French private copying lament
p2p news / p2pnet: When France proposed legalising online music file sharing, EMI boss Eric Nicoli called it an "aberration". Other members of the Big Four Organized music cartel quickly weighed in with threats and instead, a modified version aiming to ban unauthorised downloading is being debated by the Senate.
Yesterday, some 300 people laid a wreath near the culture and communications ministry in Paris, France, "in memory of private copying and free software," says the BBC, going on that the new bill calls for fines of between 38 and 150 euros ($38-$191) for people, "pirating music or movies at home".
"Demonstrators also attacked plans to bolster digital rights management technology, which prevents commercial files from being freely shared over the internet," says the story.
France’s 296-to-193 vote in favour of a new copyright law would end Apple’s DRM.
"The law calls upon Apple and rivals Sony and Microsoft to share their proprietary copy-protection – to ensure that digital music can be played on any player, regardless of its format or source," says the BBC.
Also See:
aberration – EMI attacks French p2p plan, January 22, 2006
BBC – French fight copyright proposals, May 8, 2006
Apple’s DRM – Apple: foiled in France, March 28, 2006
