Digital Rights Network

The European Commission's DG Enterprise section as part of their 2006 work programme in the area of Technology for Innovation/INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIES and E-business are looking at ICT Standardization: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/ict/policy/standards/ict_index_en.htm

Full details of the ICT Standardization Work progamme are in this pdf: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/ict/policy/standards/wp2006.pdf which contains the following section referencing to DRM (p.11):

7. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AND COUNTERFEITING

Action 31: Further to the standardisation work already initiated, additional efforts are required with regard to interoperability of different DRM systems. Although Directive 2001/29/EC limits itself, inter alias, to the legal framework applicable to technological protection measures, these provisions can only deliver their intended effect if user- friendly, reliable and interoperable DRM systems are available to the creative industries. In this context, a follow-up of already achieved standardisation work should be considered with a focus on particular markets such as current and next generation consumer electronics, including DVB-Content Protection & Copy Management (DVB-CPCM), as well as mobile handheld devices, including their interoperability with computer and consumer electronic devices. [emphasis added]

Yahoo Music's general manager Dave Goldberg startled listeners at a conference in Los Angeles with a statement probably never previously heard from the head of a for-pay digital music service: Lay off the DRM.

"DRM is not a consumer value proposition, it’s a consumer cost," said Goldberg. "It creates a nice barrier of entry for the tech companies, rather than something that’s beneficial to labels, artists, or consumers."

"Record labels don't like to hear this, but consumers have always had access to pirated music that's free. . . . The way to get more money from listeners is to give them a lot more music for their money"

The All Party Parliamentary Internet Group (APIG) is to hold a public inquiry into the issues surrounding Digital Rights Management (DRM), including the degree of protection needed for both copyright holders and consumers reports The Register today.

The inquiry will focus on:
Whether DRM distorts traditional tradeoffs in copyright law;
Whether new types of content sharing license (such as Creative Commons or Copyleft) need legislation changes to be effective;
How copyright deposit libraries should deal with DRM issues;

BEUC, an umbrella organization for consumer groups across Europe, launched a new consumer digital rights campaign yesterday based around a declaration of six principles:

• Right to choice, knowledge and cultural diversity
• Right to the principle of “technical neutrality” – defend and maintain consumer rights in the digital environment
• Right to benefit from technological innovations without abusive restrictions
• Right to interoperability of content and devices
• Right to the protection of privacy
• Right not to be criminalised

This initiative is great news and the site contains a wealth of other material, including an excellent FAQ.

News that Sony's music arm have been accused of using the tactics of virus writers to stop its CDs being "illegally copied".

One copy protection system analysed by coder Mark Russinovich uses cloaked files to hide deep inside Windows.

The difficult uninstallation process left Mr Russinovich saying that Sony's anti-piracy efforts had gone "too far".

In response to criticism, Sony BMG said it would provide tools to users and security firms that would reveal the hidden files.

Full story here

All-Party Internet Group (which is Chaired by Derek Wyatt) is holding a meeting on copyright and Digital Rights Management on 29 November 2004 at the National Liberal Club, 1 Whitehall Place, from 2pm until 6pm.The agenda is not quite yet finalised, but keep an eye on http://www.apig.org.uk/ where it will be published.