News

The Daily Digital Lock Dissenter, Day 46: Battlegoat Studios

BattleGoat Studios is a Canadian software developer founded in 2000. The company has release several PC games that have won widespread recognition. It has also been outspoken on copyright reform, providing a submission to the C-32 legislative committee that stated the following on digital locks:

The addition of one simple principle to C-32 would make the bill acceptable:

That the circumvention of Technical Protection Measures be permitted for non-infringing uses. This would meet the requirements of the WIPO treaties, and it would properly permit consumers to use their Fair Dealing rights and exemptions. It would still afford protection to content creators and publishers, especially against the “large scale” infringement that Ministers Moore and Clement say are the targets of Copyright Reform.

December 7, 2011 — 3 comments — News

Stop Hiding Behind the Phone Book, Mr. Toews

University of Toronto law professor Lisa Austin has a Globe op-ed on lawful access that highlights the difference between phone book data and Internet data likely captured by the forthcoming legislation.

December 7, 2011 — 2 comments — News

The Daily Digital Lock Dissenter, Day 45: Digital Security Coalition

The Digital Security Coalition was a coalition of leading Canadian digital security companies. The coalition’s mandate was to advocate on behalf of its members and of all Canadians for sound public policies and laws affecting digital security technologies. Members included AEPOS Technologies Corporation, Black Arts Illuminated Inc., Bob Young, Borderware Technologies Inc., Bridon Security & Training Services, Certicom Corp., CMS Consulting Inc., Digital Defence Inc., Elytra Enterprises Inc., Innusec Inc., Klocwork Inc., Priosec, Q1 Labs Inc., Random Knowledge Inc., Borderware Technologies, Rigel Kent Security and Advisory Services, Security Objectives, Technical Security & Intelligence, Titus Labs Inc. Third Brigade Ltd., and VE Networks Inc. The organization’s 2009 national copyright consultation submission included the following on digital locks:

Anti-circumvention rules should not apply in non-infringing circumstances, so they do not inadvertently impede ongoing research and innovation. The risk is in harming emerging Canadian digital security companies, and putting a “liability chill” on research in this area.

December 6, 2011 — Comments are Disabled — News

Tories Have Yet to Prove Case for E-Snooping Bill

The Globe’s John Ibbitson on why the government has not made the case for lawful access. Ibbitson reports that the lawful access legislation will be bundled into a single bill to be introduced later this month or early next year. Public Safety Minister Vic Toews issues a non-responsive response, as […]

December 5, 2011 — Comments are Disabled — News

The Daily Digital Lock Dissenter, Day 44: New Brunswick Public Library Service

The New Brunswick Public Library Service represents 61 public libraries throughout the province. Its submission to the 2009 copyright consultation included the following on digital locks:

The circumvention of a digital lock for non-infringing purposes should be permitted.

An exception should also be made to anti-circumvention clauses to ensure that access to government information, laws, and court cases are never inaccessible to Canadians. As citizens, we should have an inalienable right to access this information.

December 5, 2011 — Comments are Disabled — News