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French law may open iTMS

updated 02:15 pm EST, Mon March 13, 2006

French law may open iTMS


France is trying to pass a law that would force Apple into allowing customers to download songs onto devices other than its own iPod digital media player, which may result in Apple closing the French store. Apple currently forbids iTunes users to transfer tracks purchased from its online store to other devices, and utilizes FairPlay Digital Rights Management (DRM) to enforce that policy. The draft law, which is expected to be voted in parliament on Thursday, would enable consumers to legally use software that converts digital content into any format, according to a report from Reuters. "It will force some proprietary systems to be opened up," said Christian Vanneste, a senior parliamentarian who helps guide law in France. "You have to be able to download content and play it on any device." Industry watchers say Apple may shut down its iTunes store in France if the law is enacted, to prevent distribution of its converted iTunes tracks outside of France.

"The person who will have converted iTunes songs will be able to make it available elsewhere," said Marc Guez, head of the French Collecting Society for Music Producers rights (SCPP).

Vanneste said the law aims to fight piracy, encourage the development of the online digital music market in France, and benefit legal online music retailers, according to the report. The law would also enable other online French music retailers such as Fnac, would be required to make iTunes songs available on their websites.

Guez said the law would likely not come into force until June, and it would still need approval by the Senate.


by MacNN Staff

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Comments

  1. hayesk

    Professional Poster

    Joined: Sep 1999

    0

    Hmmm...

    I wonder if in France, Ford has to sell auto parts that work in GM cars? Does Nintendo have to sell games that work on PlayStation and XBox?

  1. Spacemoose

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Feb 2004

    0

    Just Burn it to CD...

    ...Then rip it to mp3.

    That's satisfies the proposed law, as well as pirates.

  1. mouseketter

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Sep 2004

    0

    What about others?

    What about makeing Sony's Connect or Real's Rhapsody or Napsters downloads iPod compatable?

  1. swatson

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2000

    0

    RE: just burn it to cd...

    Has anyone actually tried that? When the iTunes Music Store first opened, didn't apple claim that there were safeguards against that? I have never tried it (or needed to). Just wondering if it works and how well.

  1. discotronic

    Mac Elite

    Joined: Oct 2003

    0

    RE: just burn it to cd..

    It works fine. Burn it and the DRM is gone.

  1. Peter Bonte

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    0

    DRM

    The DRM is gone but not the watermarks, it still has the signatures of the owner.

    This law can have some nasty(fun)aftereffects, it would be legal to convert the WMA-rented music. This law would make the renting of music impossible so all the other WMA stores are almost forced to close there doors.

    I hope this gets voted, fun times ahead!! :)

  1. whackjob

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2005

    0

    Nothing profound…

    shut the store i say, F••k the french.

  1. JulesLt

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jul 2005

    0

    Connect / Rhapsody

    I presume they would also be affected.

    Don't forget that the French government is interested in legalising p2p (payment would be made through a tax / subscription based service similar to the UK television licence).

    Hayesk - your comparison with cars is somewhat invalid. It should be 'Can Ford force you only to use Ford components in your car'. The answer in most countries is 'No' (they might say it invalidates your guarantee). Nintendo also lost the case where they tried to prevent Codemasters making a cartridge for their games console without Nintendo's approval.

    But as has been pointed out many times, Fairplay is just inconvenience - it doesn't STOP you loading your music onto another player, it simply stops you doing it using the well integrated iTunes system. I think Apple have been clever there - there's enough of a loophole to satisfy the law that it is not a completely restrictive system, it is just one that makes in awkward. (A trick they might have learned off MS - again, they don't have a monopoly, they just make it difficult for people to change).

  1. Roehlstation

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    0

    Bye bye quality

    I don't want to hear complaints when the quality of experience disappears because Apple has to open this up for substandard players.

    For Pete's sake....just get the iPod.

  1. Deal

    Mac Enthusiast

    Joined: Apr 2001

    0

    Make money off Americans

    There must be somebody in France that is positioned to make a lot of money off this law and they know enough of the right people to attempt pushing it through.

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