MPs call for DRM clarity

Satdude

MPs call for DRM clarity

Digital content should be clearly labelled to better inform consumers how easy it is to move and copy to different devices, a group of UK MPs has said.

The All Party Parliamentary Internet Group (APIG), which has been investigating the impact and implementation of copy protection systems, has called on the Office of Fair Trading to implement clear labelling regulations for all digital media.

The aim is not only to clarify to users where they can use their digital music and video, but also what will happen if they breach the law governing copyright.

Reports say that the APIG is concerned that digital rights management (DRM) is creating a framework that is less about protecting copyright and more about creating a system where people only rent content rather than own it.

A similar furore has erupted in France where digital content retailers and the French state have come to blows over proposals which would force content companies to open up their DRM technology to allow consumers to play their content on any device, thus eliminating the infamous 'lock in' - an allegation often levelled at Apple and its iPod device.

Regards Satdude.