Re: Free & open DRM software

[Brian Thomas Sniffen <bts@alum.mit.edu>]

Brian M Hunt <2bh5@qlink.queensu.ca> writes:

> I was contemplating the conundrum of open source digital rights management, 
> and would like some feedback. If someone were to write digital rights 
> software, eg. for downloading from iTunes, could they license it under a free 
> software license like the GPL, with an added clause:
>
> "If the Program is designed to uphold digital rights management pursuant to 
> the distribution of copyrighted material, any modification to the Program to 
> undermine the terms of distribution for that copyright will violate this 
> license.   All rights to publish, redistribute, and use the modified Program 
> are revoked upon violation of this clause.   Derivative works may not modify 
> this license so as to remove this clause."

That isn't DFSG-free, no.  The last sentence also reflects a curious
understanding of how copyrights and licenses adhere to works.

Perhaps you would be satisfied with a notice that, in the US and the
EU and maybe elsewhere, it's often illegal to circumvent digital
rights management technologies -- and that while your copyright
doesn't stop them from doing so, the copyrights of others do.

Note that this *isn't* part of the license, just a note passed along
with the software.

-Brian

-- 
Brian Sniffen                                       bts@alum.mit.edu