Abandoned Stuff by Saskboy

Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) is going to be a buzz word in the coming election campaign in Canada. You encounter it on DVDs, copy-protected CDs, Blu-Ray discs, and on countless software programs like Windows XP and Vista. Consumers are annoyed by it at every turn, causing countless thousands to swear off ever buying a CD (or purchasing a downloadable non-MP3 song file) ever again in their life.

Slashdot points to a discussion of the many problems that DRM has caused, and why it’s failing. And knowing that digitally locking consumer media is a failing business model, it makes it even more incomprehensible that Jim Prentice and the Conservative Party is seeking to enshrine digital locks in copyright law as the all-powerful LOOP HOLE that businesses can use to sue people for doing things that are legal today in Canada.

One of the best examples of just how absurd the Conservative bill is, is the case of Microsoft DRM known as Plays-For-Sure. The music bought with “Plays-For-Sure” DRM attached to it, will not play on the Microsoft Zune (their most modern MP3 player). Plays, for sure? For real? No, DRM is defective by design, so you pay for LEGALLY PURCHASED music again when Microsoft decides your old music collection is no longer making them money.

Do you want this kind of digital lock to be encouraged and protected by a new copyright act? Who does?

Jesse explains how Bill C-61 is an attack on Canadian culture, not an effort to protect creativity in the arts. The very act of uploading a mixed video to YouTube is part of Canadian culture now. Bill C-61 would all but shut YouTube down in Canada, as users fear $20,000 lawsuits for innocent actions like fair use of media (a use enjoyed by large media corporations to make money, while small time content creators do it for the love of culture).