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French Copyright Law Builds Momentum

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

March 21, 2006, 2:47 PM

Lawmakers in France's lower legislative house approved by a 296-193 margin a bill that would force digital music stores to open up their proprietary formats on Tuesday. The bill would also mandate companies to share their copy-protection technologies so that players can be used on the consumer's choice of services.

The bill threatens to change the digital rights management landscape. These technologies are what have allowed Apple to continue it's near-stranglehold on the legal music industry, and now is helping the company become a force in digital video.

Also, internationally there are some reservations over just two American companies -- that being Microsoft and Apple -- having near unanimous control of protected digital media, analysts say.

The bill still must go through the upper house of the legislature, the Senate, before passage. That is set to begin in May.

Apple has so far refused to comment on either the bill itself or speculation that the company would withdraw from the French market rather than open up its FairPlay technology.

However the successful passage of the bill, which could come as early as this summer, could force the company to rethink its business strategy. It could even spur other countries to launch similar efforts of their own, and may possibly change the entire concept of DRM.

The policies come as part of a larger bill that would introduce fines of 38 to 150 euros for those caught pirating music or movies, and 3,750 euros for hacking a copyright protection system. Those caught distributing software could face fines of up to 300,000 euros.

Add a Comment (9 Comments)

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By elftyrrell

posted Mar 22, 2006 - 12:38 PM

What's wrong with being pro-consumer? Corporations have too much protection under the law. They almost have the status of human beings. The French law would result in better hardware as companies wouldn't be able screw consumers who have invested heavily into a given format.

It's win-win. Consumers get what they rightly deserve and companies that put out the best players will thrive.

Score: 0

By DAnem

posted Mar 22, 2006 - 2:17 AM

The only way to get these competition-shy american companies to behave, is through legislation. I hope that more countries will follow the example of french legislators and require the digital protection technologies to be open (open-source). The consumers want content, music & videos, not the other crap, apple and microsoft want to force down our throats!

Score: 0

By zridling

posted Mar 22, 2006 - 12:03 AM

France is the ONLY country left on the planet who is forcing techno-corp to see the world through the consumer's eyes. You can create all the DRM and copy-protected crap you want, but don't expect the French to buy it — they have the brains and the guts to tell you where to shove it.

Score: 0

By uberfly

posted Mar 21, 2006 - 11:09 PM

All digitally oriented companies looking to protect their own ideas and property should give france the big middle finger. France can then go create their own DRM's, etc and wallow in their own stinky goods.

All these retards that look to legislate themselves into some kind of contention are badly misguided. It's unfortunant that people get behind it so easily. Create something better france and ppl will flock to your crap instead.

Score: 0

By eman8ions

posted Mar 21, 2006 - 7:29 PM

GO FRANCE!!!

Score: 0

By drumcat

posted Mar 21, 2006 - 2:54 PM

What a great way to get iTunes, et al, to stop doing business in France.

Of all places, the country that most fervently protects its own language, forces companies to learn each others.

Did you know France has a Ministry of Language? They don't allow English words to make it into the French lexicon. Oh the horror!

Score: 0

By monmail

edited Mar 21, 2006 - 5:26 PM

there is no Ministry of Language in France... stop missinformation...

The debate was very long here concerning a global tax (you pay some dollars each month and you could download and crack all what you want) or no. But the main problem is that opensource software without DRM are now illegal...