The All Party Internet Group (APIG) launched its report into Digital Rights Management (DRM) on 5th June 2006 after extensive public consultation which garnered over 90 written submissions. The MPs' report makes strong recommendations to curb DRM and protect consumers...

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The Open Rights Group, who provided both written and oral evidence to APIG, is glad to see APIG make so many robust and sensible recommendations, many of them in line with ORG policy. "We are particularly heartened to see APIG take note of the Sony-BMG MediaMax and XCP debacle, sending a strong message to companies that they risk prosecution if they use virus-like software which damages consumers' computers," the ORG commented.

"We are pleased that APIG agree with our recommendation that academics be granted exemption from prosecution for research into anti-circumvention measures," they added.

APIG also recommended that more research be done into the the effects of DRM on free trade within the single market, in particular iTunes Music Store's enforcement of de facto price differentiation within Europe.

Keep law-making accountable & transparent says Doctorow

ORG Advisor and digital rights activist Cory Doctorow said: "These recommendations show Britain's determination not to repeat the mistakes that the US Congress has made. Law is something that happens in the halls of government, not something you invent in a back-room and embody in software code. DRM can only succeed when its competition is suppressed: after all, no Briton awoke this morning looking for a way to do less with her music."

But Suw Charman, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group cautioned that there is still more that could be done: "APIG's report addresses the problems faced by the visually impaired and deposit libraries when attempting to access DRM'd material. But ORG is concerned that DRM is being used to prevent anyone from exercising their existing fair dealing rights as laid down in law, such as limited copying for non-commercial research or private study, or copying for criticism or review.

Fair use and interoperability must be allowed for...

"We would like to see decisive steps taken to protect fair dealing," Charman continued, "and believe that the UK should follow other European countries, such as Slovenia, that allow citizens to break DRM locks that block these rights. DRM should not be allowed to overreach copyright law."

ORG feels that APIG have missed an opportunity to look more closely at interoperability and open standards for digital content and the hardware that content is played on. The proposed compulsory warning labels for all DRM'd products will go a long way towards raising awareness of the issue and enabling consumers to make informed choices before they purchase content that they could subsequently lose when they change device brands or when the DRM itself becomes obsolete, they said.

But a more effective solution to this problem is to mandate interoperability between systems, so that, for example, iTunes Music Store music could be played on any MP3 player. At the very least APIG should have recommended that more research be done on this issue.

Finally, the Open Rights Group welcomes moves to involve the British Library as a facilitator of discussions between the many different interested parties, including the very writers, musicians and film makers who create the content being locked away by DRM.

About :
The Open Rights Group is a digital rights advocacy group based in the UK. It aims to increase awareness of digital rights issues, help foster grassroots activity and to preserve and extend civil liberties in the digital age. For more information, contact Suw Charman, Executive Director, Open Rights Group: Tel: +44 (0)20 7096 1079, email suw.charman@gmail.com or visitwww.openrightsgroup.org