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Privacy Commissioner Criticizes Canadian DMCA

Posted by kdawson on from the opting-out-is-not-circumventing dept.

I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "Jennifer Stoddart, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, has criticized the proposed Canadian DMCA in a public letter to Jim Prentice, the Canadian Minister of Industry. Specifically, she's asking them not to protect any DRM from circumvention that gathers and transmits personal data, because that would give abusive DRM makers a legal cudgel to use against anyone who exposes them. The proposed bill, which was recently delayed due to heavy opposition, is thought to contain DMCA-style anti-circumvention provisions that would make it illegal to investigate or remove intrusive DRM, even if that DRM was violating Canadian privacy laws."

5 of 72 comments (clear)

  1. The below comment is encoded in ROT-0 by KublaiKhan · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So as far as I understand it, blocking outbound connections at the firewall--a legitimate security tactic--would hence become illegal under the terms of this DMCA?

    Another case of legislators not having the faintest clue what they're talking about...but then, that's a bit redundant to say that, isn't it?

    --
    In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
    A stately pleasure dome decree
  2. Circumvention that gathers personal data? by Pluvius · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Specifically, she's asking them not to protect any DRM from circumvention that gathers and transmits personal data

    Why would anyone circumvent DRM in a way that allows people to know who did it? And why would you even bother protecting DRM from that sort of circumvention?

    (Tip: Prepositional phrases generally go directly after the words that they modify.)

    Rob

  3. my DMCA is bigger than yours... by Amocat · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It's just a terrible mess, all this DRM crap. If stricter DMCA makes it in Canada, it'll set a new precedent for a new, tougher one here... it's like this game of one-upmanship on who can be more draconian. What is next, making it illegal to use computers without DRM on them? (Trusted Computing, anyone?)

  4. Re:Yay for the Senate by Chemicalscum · · Score: 2, Insightful
    It died primarily, because we inconveniently for the RIAA/CRIA MPAA etc had an election called before it went to a vote ok the Senate slowed it down. This is something we can rely this year as we will almost certainly get an election this year and hopefully we will get rid of Harper and his crypto-Bushite hidden agenda. However we cant always rely on this there are enough Liberal MP's in the pay of the media conglomerate that we will face the same problem from them. I don't even trust the NDP on this one.

    It's only if we as informed active citizens kick up enough fuss to our elected representatives, like we did when the Bill was first announced, which scared them enough to withdraw it for reconsideration. Which they did to pretend they are not the corrupt servants of the oligarchy, which they are, rather than the servants of their electorate, which they should be.

  5. Copyright is to benefit the flow of knowledge by kentsin · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It is not about money.

    It is to encourage sharing of knowledge that improve the whole mankind.

    If you do not share, you have no protection. If you do not want sharing, there should be no protection.

    The copyright law should make anyone wanting to access a piece of intellectual work possible, with a cost.

    The copyright law should make sure protected intellectual works be archived by some institution.