European Commission considers mandatory digital rights management

[Alexandre Dulaunoy]

http://www.politechbot.com/p-03210.html
http://www.politechbot.com/docs/european.commission.drm.030202.pdf

I have only read some part, for example the part regarding 
"User-related-issue" (a ten line paragraph). 

"Consumer groups and user organisations are voicing their concerns that 
DRMs will change the way individual users can use content. They fear that 
individual users will not be able to enjoy the use of digital content in 
the same way as they have done in the past. For example, whereas it is 
possible to buy a book, read it as many times as one wishes, and lend it 
to one s friends or family, use of a DRM system might limit the number of 
times one could read, print out and pass on (i.e. lend) an  eBook . There 
are many good reasons to protect the rights of rightholders, content 
providers and distributors of digital material. While DRMs are mainly 
concerned with preventing the illegal use of digital material, it is less 
clear how DRM solutions protect the lawful consumer."

So "the right to read" of Richard Stallman is not far from that.
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html

They talk about "Open and Flexible DRM", that's a strange concept for DRM.

I think we need to make a complete analysis of the EC working paper and 
make an official comment about that. I think the DRM in EU can generate 
same issue as SSSCA in US for Free Software and Freedom in general.

What is your opinion about that ? 

Alx


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Alexandre Dulaunoy				http://www.foo.be/
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