[d at DCC] Hacking anti-circumvention legislation.

[Russell McOrmond]

   I read an article this morning:

New software promises to unlock iPod, iTunes
http://news.com.com/2100-1046_3-6136935.html

   "He imitated Apple's system; he didn't remove any copyright 
protections,"


   It sounds like a method to get content encoded into a digital key on a 
device other than those "authorized" by the copyright holder.  This 
effectively circumvents the alleged "copy control", but in a way that will 
not be understood by policy makers or the courts who have never understood 
this technology in the first place.

   Apple's DRM, like most of the controversial forms of DRM, is the 
combination of two technical measures:  content encoded via cryptography 
such that it is only interoperable with "authorized" devices, and devices 
locked down such that they treat the owner of the device as the attacker 
of that device.


   This new software breaks the first lock-down by making the content 
interoperable with other devices, and it is then quite possible that the 
interoperable devices won't be locked down to circumvent property rights. 
The alleged "copy control" features, not that it ever really existed 
beyond science fiction, still exist in the same way it did in the past.


   It will be interesting to see if they get sued given there could be a 
massive education aspect of such a case.  Could it mean the beginning of 
the end of so-called "anti-circumvention" legislation by forcing people to 
notice that the emperor has no clothes?



BTW: If you haven't yet signed the Petition to protect Information 
Technology Property Rights, please do so!  This will be critical in our 
arguments against the government taking away our right to make our own 
software choices on the hardware we own.
   http://www.digital-copyright.ca/petition/ict/

-- 
  Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant: <http://www.flora.ca/>
  Please help us tell the Canadian Parliament to protect our property
  rights as owners of Information Technology. Sign the petition!
  http://www.digital-copyright.ca/petition/ict/

  "The government, lobbied by legacy copyright holders and hardware
   manufacturers, can pry my camcorder, computer, home theatre, or
   portable media player from my cold dead hands!"