Hill Times Letter: Understanding ‘copy control’ requires determining real-world technology

Letter to the Hill Times Editor published November 29, 2010

In a letter to The Hill Times, lobbyist Barry Sookman repeated his claim that, “if an individual has purchased, licensed, or otherwise lawfully obtained access to original content, the individual can hack a TPM that would prevent copying in order to create a UGC work,” (“McOrmond misses point on copyright,” The Hill Times, Nov. 22, p. 8).

“Copy control” is a term made up by lawyers and marketing people, not something that directly exists in technology. Understanding a “copy control” requires determining what real-world technology is being used. Most examples of “copy control” involve the application of an access control to the content, including DVDs, Blue-ray, iTunes, etc. This majority situation is the context in which Mr. Sookman’s interpretation of Bill C-32 is inaccurate and/or misleading.

Russell McOrmond
Ottawa, Ont.
(The author is a technical consultant and host for BillC32.ca).