Hey Canadians, do you watch DVDs on your Linux box? You're about to become criminals.

[RageOfOrder]

A new bill was introduced yesterday: C-32 (http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=4580265&Mode=1&Language=F&File=72#16), which attempts to rewrite copyright law in Canada.

While it provides a few positive fair-use features, it also prohibits the circumvention or breaking of locks on copyrighted media, for any purpose.

This means you will now be a criminal if you:


Watch Region Locked DVDs from other countries
Watch Blu-Ray DVDs
Watch Regular DVDs
Listen to DRM'd music
Transfer media to your Ipod Touch / iPhone / iPad with Linux


... And anything else involving copyrighted media that lacks official Linux support.

If you don't want to be locked into a US style DMCA agreement by law, then find your MP (http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC&Language=E) and write them a letter.

This bill is not fair to the copyright holder, and it is not fair to you.

[derekeverett]

I look forward to prison. Be a nice break from work.

[RiceMonster]

I look forward to prison. Be a nice break from work.

lol

[Shazzam6999]

I look forward to prison. Be a nice break from work.

QFT. Warm bed, food, and a roof over your head is more than a lot of people in this world have. Anyways, gl to Canada enforcing it.

[Simian Man]

It sucks, but you'd just be breaking a totally ridiculous and unenforceable law. Just like us Americans :).

[NightwishFan]

Such laws leave a bad taste in my mouth. I wish you luck in your struggle my Canadian friends. Stay free.

[Frak]

QFT. Warm bed, food, and a roof over your head is more than a lot of people in this world have. Anyways, gl to Canada enforcing it.
qft


I look forward to prison. Be a nice break from work.


lol

[kaldor]

Laws based on greed; awesome.

[sydbat]

Laws based on greed; awesome.In the last few years, are there any other kinds...?

[cariboo]

To stay legal, all we'd have to do is buy PowerDVD Linux (http://shop.canonical.com/product_info.php?products_id=243) from the Canonical store. :)

[sydbat]

To stay legal, all we'd have to do is buy PowerDVD Linux (http://shop.canonical.com/product_info.php?products_id=243) from the Canonical store. :)OK, but right now we are not doing anything illegal.

Besides, if this is passed as is (without the amendment suggested by the NDP), it would be thrown out by the Supreme Court as soon as it was challenged. So why spend our money to put a "law" into place that will only be removed by The Supreme Court in a short while. Wasteful. The least they could do is have the Supreme Court review it and see if it is constitutional before moving forward (this is not without precedent).

[kaldor]

Illegal or not, I'll still continue to watch stuff I buy on my laptop without buying Windows/Hackintosh.

[98cwitr]

QFT. Warm bed, food, and a roof over your head is more than a lot of people in this world have. Anyways, gl to Canada enforcing it.

...becoming someone's boytoy...all good in prison, right?

[Frak]

I think this applies, now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUCyvw4w_yk

[Shazzam6999]

...becoming someone's boytoy...all good in prison, right?

You watch too much T.V..

[cb951303]

that's ridiculous.



btw there is also fluendo, they provide commercial gstreamer plugins for some codecs and they have a dvd player. http://www.fluendo.com/shop/category/end-user-products/

[sydbat]

I think this applies, now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUCyvw4w_ykI threw up in my mouth a little...

[HoboJ]

I can't wait to become a criminal for doing nothing wrong. Should be fun!

[forrestcupp]

OK, but right now we are not doing anything illegal.


At one time it wasn't illegal to own slaves, either. That doesn't mean I should be able to own a slave just because it wasn't illegal at one time. ;)

[RiceMonster]

At one time it wasn't illegal to own slaves, either. That doesn't mean I should be able to own a slave just because it wasn't illegal at one time. ;)

Assuming you're reffering stritctly to the issue of watching DVDs on Linux, if I buy a DVD, shouldn't be able to watch it with whatever device or software I choose? I don't think your analogy really applies here.

[cariboo]

According to the proposed law, you can make backups/copy to other media, if there are no "digital locks" present. It's circumventing the "digital lock" that will become illegal.

[NightwishFan]

True, but the fine line of morality is a tricky subject so I would avoid discussing it if possible. ;)

[RiceMonster]

According to the proposed law, you can make backups/copy to other media, if there are no "digital locks" present. It's circumventing the "digital lock" that will become illegal.

Wouldn't libdvdcss count as "circumventing the digital lock"? I read through the bill, and it doesn't seem to only reffer to copying media.

[RageOfOrder]

Wouldn't libdvdcss count as "circumventing the digital lock"? I read through the bill, and it doesn't seem to only reffer to copying media.

Circumventing any locks would be illegal.

So yes, watching a regular DVD would be illegal unless it was encryption free. How many of those exist? Not a whole lot.

[donkyhotay]

Besides, if this is passed as is (without the amendment suggested by the NDP), it would be thrown out by the Supreme Court as soon as it was challenged.

I'm an american and I figured the DMCA and patriot act would be overturned in the courts as unconstitutional. Don't know a lot about canadian law or courts but I wouldn't put too much faith in it getting overturned. Better to fight against it now the best you can and keep it from getting to that point.

[betrunkenaffe]

If you don't want to be locked into a US style DMCA agreement by law, then find your MP (http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC&Language=E) and write them a letter.

This bill is not fair to the copyright holder, and it is not fair to you.


Seat vacant.


AWESOME!

[sydbat]

I'm an american and I figured the DMCA and patriot act would be overturned in the courts as unconstitutional. Don't know a lot about canadian law or courts but I wouldn't put too much faith in it getting overturned. Better to fight against it now the best you can and keep it from getting to that point.Agreed.

However, if I understand correctly, the issue has never gone to the US Supreme Court...yet. It is always "settled out of court" so there is no legal precedent to challenge. As soon as someone is (monetarily) able to say 'NO' and take it through the US court system, the US Supreme court will find it unconstitutional*. Of course, they always go after people who cannot afford to fight in court, because they know they can intimidate them.

*(Hint - because it takes away from guaranteed individual rights)

[saulgoode]

However, if I understand correctly, the issue has never gone to the US Supreme Court...yet. It is always "settled out of court" so there is no legal precedent to challenge. As soon as someone is (monetarily) able to say 'NO' and take it through the US court system, the US Supreme court will find it unconstitutional*. Of course, they always go after people who cannot afford to fight in court, because they know they can intimidate them.
To my knowledge, no one has ever been taken to court over libdvdcss. My interpretation of the DMCA is that using it is not a violation and I shall continue to do so until proven otherwise.

[Mr. Picklesworth]

We aren't “about to become criminals.” This bill has a long way to go, and personally I would love to get it over with. Big business is always whining about copyright, so a new copyright bill is inevitable. As long as the government listens, I'm happy. I may have just consumed too much kool-aid today, but so far I'm feeling pretty comfortable with where this is headed.

Just get involved and point out the things that cause you legitimate problems. Apply pressure where necessary. It'll get there! There is a lot of time yet.

It does need work, of course. It scares me that the bill wants to require libraries prevent the copying and storing of digital content. The really bad part, to me, is the word “prevent.” It has very dubious meaning and seems to be undefined within the document.

Does that mean they should add a message saying “please delete this after five days or you're breaking the law,“ or does this require them to enter the pointless, nasty game of trying to control the data that runs through peoples' personal computers? If it's the latter, we can expect accessibility, standards and security to be immediate casualties. Not to mention common sense. And with all those, the only stuff that makes digital media worth using.

The bill does have an exception that gives people permission to circumvent digital locks if they are required to by physical disability, or doing so specifically for someone who is disabled. That sounds very wrong to me. That sounds like a public library telling a paraplegic he is free to build a wheelchair ramp for himself, but they aren't going to help him. (And if he shares it with anyone who isn't disabled, he's in trouble).
It's even worse than that, though, because the ramp was already there. They just buried it in concrete and posted a security guard.

[donkyhotay]

Agreed.

However, if I understand correctly, the issue has never gone to the US Supreme Court...yet. It is always "settled out of court" so there is no legal precedent to challenge. As soon as someone is (monetarily) able to say 'NO' and take it through the US court system, the US Supreme court will find it unconstitutional*. Of course, they always go after people who cannot afford to fight in court, because they know they can intimidate them.

*(Hint - because it takes away from guaranteed individual rights)

Oh yeah, I keep forgetting we're really a plutocracy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutocracy) here.

[SunnyRabbiera]

To stay legal, all we'd have to do is buy PowerDVD Linux (http://shop.canonical.com/product_info.php?products_id=243) from the Canonical store. :)

Screw legal, legal only favors the greedy anymore

[Frak]

Screw legal, legal only favors the greedy anymore
qft

[JohnnyC35]

I was just reading about that:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/pointofview/2010/06/copyright-laws-do-we-need-to-revamp-laws-to-conform-with-the-us-and-europe.html

I have music that I ripped on Ubuntu that wouldn't play on Windows without installed spyware. Ya free room and board for me :P Guess Linux will be essentially illegal to use soon.

[Mr. Picklesworth]

Guess Linux will be essentially illegal to use soon.

Not at all. You just have to play by the rules those companies want. Decoding DVDs requires a license, and there is software available for Linux. Here's an opportunity for a more diverse set of rules defined under copyright law, to guide your choices about what companies you support.

You can't just work around their dumb requests any more; you have to heed them. When a company says “you're not allowed to use this product more than three times,” for example, you can't just expect to circumvent their demands. Instead, I hope more people will see those demands, and, upon disagreeing with them, choose alternatives. For example free software, Creative Commons, or going outside.

You do have a good reason to stop supporting the nasty media companies that apply digital locks. They have rendered their content less useful, so if you care you should buy from somewhere else where you would be protected by the first half of the new copyright act.

Eventually, they'll get jealous of the media companies that actually engage with their customers, who will have gained a foothold in digital culture; they'll notice that they have missed out on free advertising and good will. They will figure it out. Be patient.

(Good timing: there don't seem to be any good movies on the horizon).

[Legendary_Bibo]

I was just reading about that:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/pointofview/2010/06/copyright-laws-do-we-need-to-revamp-laws-to-conform-with-the-us-and-europe.html

I have music that I ripped on Ubuntu that wouldn't play on Windows without installed spyware. Ya free room and board for me :P Guess Linux will be essentially illegal to use soon.

Oooohhhh makes you feel like a bit of an anarchist eh? :P
I gave up linux on my PS3, I'm not about to give it up again because I didn't pay for it...wait that's what it's looking like. Anything free (both definitions) is illegal against big companies because it intrudes on their intellectual property rights! Soon you'll be a criminal for eating free samples at Costco!!!

[sydbat]

Not at all. You just have to play by the rules those companies want. Decoding DVDs requires a license, and there is software available for Linux. Here's an opportunity for a more diverse set of rules defined under copyright law, to guide your choices about what companies you support.

You can't just work around their dumb requests any more; you have to heed them. When a company says “you're not allowed to use this product more than three times,” for example, you can't just expect to circumvent their demands. Instead, I hope more people will see those demands, and, upon disagreeing with them, choose alternatives. For example free software, Creative Commons, or going outside.

You do have a good reason to stop supporting the nasty media companies that apply digital locks. They have rendered their content less useful, so if you care you should buy from somewhere else where you would be protected by the first half of the new copyright act.

Eventually, they'll get jealous of the media companies that actually engage with their customers, who will have gained a foothold in digital culture; they'll notice that they have missed out on free advertising and good will. They will figure it out. Be patient.

(Good timing: there don't seem to be any good movies on the horizon).Unfortunately, there is a flaw in your logic - the reason these kinds of bills/laws continue to come up is because people ARE going elsewhere for things and the ones who want to lock down/absolutely control everything are pressuring (or is it pre$$uring?) politicians to make things more and more restrictive.

This is definitely something we need to fight and stop before it goes much further. Otherwise, it will be seen as complacency and our rights will be walked all over.

[Lensman]

Screw legal, legal only favors the greedy anymore

Now there is a man after my own heart. It sort of gets tiring seeing legislation passed that only serves to protect millionaires.

[fatality_uk]

(3) Paragraph 41.1(1)(c) does not apply to a person who manufactures, imports or provides a technology, device or component for the purposes of circumventing a technological protection measure if the person does so for the purpose of making the computer program and any other computer program interoperable and
(a) uses that technology, device or component only for that purpose; or(b) provides that technology, device or component to another person only for that purpose.

Headlines are often a great way to start a debate but I HAVE to read the small print. You can now all relax!!