iTunes’ DRM Under Fire In Europe

 
By Sherri January 27, 2007



Two European countries have decided to make an attempt to take a bite out of Apple’s DRM protection on music downloads.

Both Norway and the Netherlands are up in arms about the fact that iTunes’ music downloads will only play on iPod devices.

In the Dutch case, a Consumentenbond, a consumer protection agency, wants an investigation into what it calls Apple’s “illegal practices.”

“What we want from Apple is that they remove the limitations that prevent you from playing a song you download from iTunes on any player other than an iPod," spokesman Ewald van Kouwen has been reported as saying. "When you buy a music CD it doesn't play only on players made by Panasonic. People who download a song from iTunes shouldn't be bound to an iPod for the rest of their lives." he added.

This request comes on the heels of a Norwegian Ombudsman’s decision to give Apple until the end of September to correct its DRM or face legal action.

For its part, Apple doesn’t sound too concerned. A spokesperson has said, “Apple hopes that European governments will encourage a competitive environment that lets innovation thrive."

I’m honestly not sure where I stand on this particular issue. As an American who sees the benefits of capitalism, DRM and brand protection make sense to me. As a consumer, however, I’d sure love for my music library to be downloadable to a player other than an iPod.

These cases could have implications for the DRM protection included in video downloads, as well. As the cases shake out, what’s really under fire is DRM itself. The real issue is the fact that people buy the right to play a song or a video and then they find they can’t use it in the manner they’d like. But, perhaps this is the tradeoff download fans pay for not buying a CD or a DVD?

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