United Kingdom

[GB] Digital Rights Management Report Published by Parliamentary Group

IRIS 2006-7:1/24

David Goldberg

deeJgee Research/Consultancy

The All Party Parliamentary Internet Group (APIG) is a “discussion forum between new media industries and Parliamentarians for the mutual benefit of both parties.” APIG currently has over 50 members, in addition to a team of officers.

APIG has previously produced reports into data retention; spam and the Computer Misuse Act.

In November 2005, APIG launched an inquiry into the issues surrounding Digital Rights Management. Written submissions were received from more than 90 individuals and organisations and an oral evidence session was held at the House of Commons (February 2006).

As reported on APIG’s website, the key points of the Inquiry Report are:

1. A recommendation that the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) bring forward appropriate labelling regulations so that it will become clear to consumers what they will and will not be able to do with digital content that they purchase;

2. A recommendation that OFCOM publish guidance to make it clear that companies distributing Technical Protection Measures systems in the UK would, if they have features such as those in Sony-BMG’s MediaMax and XCP systems, run a significant risk of being prosecuted for criminal actions;

3. A recommendation that the Department of Trade and Industry investigate the single-market issues that were raised during the Inquiry, with a view to addressing the issue at the European level;

4. A recommendation that the government do not legislate to make DRM systems mandatory;

5. A recommendation that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport review the level of funding for pilot projects that address access to eBooks by those with visual disabilities and that action be taken if they are failing to achieve positive results;

6. A recommendation that the Department of Trade and Industry revisit the results of their review into their moribund “IP Advisory Committee” and reconstitute it as several more focused forums. One of these should be a “UK Stakeholders Group” to be chaired by the British Library;

7. A recommendation that the Government consider granting a much wider-ranging exemption to the anti-circumvention measures in the 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act for genuine academic research;

8. A recommendation that having taken advice from the Legal Deposit Advisory Panel, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport hold a formal public consultation, not only on the technical details, but also on the general principles that have been established.