Apr 26, 2005
French say copy-protected DVDs are illegal
FRENCH LEGISLATORS ruled that anti-copying digital rights management software on DVDs should be banned because it prevents a user making copies for private use.
A Parisian court of appeal on Friday threw out a complaint from Films Alain Sarde and Studio Canal and sided with consumer’s body, the Union Fédérale des Consommateurs (UFC).
The case revolved around a bloke who wanted to watch the film Mulholland Drive round his mum’s house. Our hero had the film on DVD but his dear old mum had stuck with the video recorder. The court decided the man was within his rights to expect to be able to copy the film from his DVD and stick on a video cassette so that he could watch it.
Vive la France! Liberte - Egalite - Fraternite - Free to copy DVDs! Seems like French courts have common sense, something lacking in the US legal system sometimes.