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Federal Trade Commission To Scrutinize DRM

Posted by Soulskill on from the uncle-sam-is-tired-of-installing-securom dept.

Ars Technica reports that the FTC is getting ready to take a hard look at gaming DRM, setting up a town hall meeting to be held on March 25th. They're currently recruiting panelists, and they say the meeting will, in part, "address the need to improve disclosures to consumers about DRM limitations." The controversy over DRM came to a head in 2008 with the release of Spore and the multiple subsequent class-action lawsuits focusing on the SecuROM software that came with the game. Ars Technica says the town hall meeting will also look at "legal issues surrounding DRM" and "the potential need for government involvement to protect consumers."

6 of 211 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Are Pigs Flying? by teg · · Score: 4, Informative

    Apple moved in the right direction a long time ago - the big news yesterday was that the remaining big record companies allowed Apple to sell their music without DRM. Apple has done so with EMI and smaller labels for a while now.

  2. Re:Woot! by AndrewNeo · · Score: 3, Informative

    What does the MAFIAA have to do with gaming DRM?

  3. RIAA and MPAA license to big game developers by tepples · · Score: 4, Informative

    What does the MAFIAA have to do with gaming DRM?

    • RIAA members license music for use in DDR, Guitar Hero, and Rock Band.
    • RIAA members license music for use in sport simulations.
    • MPAA members license story treatments, settings, and characters for use in games based on film or TV franchises.
    • Sony makes video game consoles and is also a member of the RIAA and MPAA.
  4. And once again pirates have it easier... by Lonewolf666 · · Score: 3, Informative

    When Windows XP was released, some big customers were worried about depending on an external instance for authorization.

    Microsoft appeased them by releasing the "Corporate Edition" that didn't require remote authorization.

    Guess what happened?
    The "Corporate Edition" got pirated. Once again, those who pirate the software are bothered less than legitimate customers...

    --
    C - the footgun of programming languages
  5. Re:Woot! by Ascagnel · · Score: 4, Informative

    Sony, a RIAA/MPAA member, is the author of SecuROM. For more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Securom

    --
    "It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine."
  6. Re:Woot! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    I just wish I had saved the emails I shot back and forth with Valve over Steam, because I can tell you that I got screwed.

    Ditto here.

    I will never give Valve/Steam another penny of my money. And no, I don't pirate their software either- I refuse to support it outright.
    Am I missing out? Probably, but I'm not going to cave in. I already paid $50 for software I'll never be able to use, so until I get a refund (which won't happen) I'm through with them.
    Hell, when it happened I would have settled for an apology from them, and even paid a marginal fee to just get a new license number, but they basically accused me of giving out the serial number to thousands of people.
    I offered to provide them all the original packaging plus a store and credit card receipt but they wouldn't even listen. I was even hung up on by their phone support, and my emails were constantly ignored.

    I realize that just one consumer isn't going to make an impact, but I'm through being taken to the cleaners. For me it isn't even necessarily a matter of principles, but of simply being pissed on & subsequently pissed off.