Brazil Forbids DRM On the Public Domain

nunojsilva writes "Cory Doctorow reports that the Brazilian equivalent of DMCA explicitly forbids using DRM-like techniques on works in the public domain. 'Brazil has just created the best-ever implementation of WCT [WIPO Copyright Treaty]. In Brazil's version of the law, you can break DRM without breaking the law, provided you're not also committing a copyright violation.' This means that, unlike the US, where it is illegal to break DRM, in Brazil it is illegal to break the public domain."

Comments

Re:Seems like it breaks the public domain to me.

[hellop2]

My point is a question of whether or not blocking DRM on all public domain works is in everyone's best interest.

I know what DRM is. Now if you want to talk semantics, imagine you own a work that you want to put on your website, so you encrypt it so that only your friends and family can view it, with your special viewer. This is personal encryption, and it is DRM. Now, my niece goes to jail for uploaded Shakespeare.

Not distributed enough for you? Imagine a Linux based computer like OLPC targeted for kids. Your company distributes Open Source/Public Domain works under DRM to ensure that your users only run software that's up-to-date, reviewed, and covered under your support contract. Now this company can't do business in Brazil.

Why not stick to my post topic, or at least the first/main sentence instead of trying to compare nerd badges.(not directed at you kvezach, but possibly Lord Kano) Can you think of a scenario where blocking DRM legislatively might not be desirable?