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| Chilling Effects Clearinghouse > Anticircumvention (DMCA) > Weather Reports > Taking it to the Streets, plus Librarians on the March? | 
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|  Taking it to the Streets, plus Librarians on the March?Heather C. McGhee, Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic, September 28, 2006 Abstract: In a big week for the DRM and anti-circumvention debate, scattered citizens and a flagship institution weigh in on the future of access to digital content. Taking it to the Streets On Tuesday, October 3rd, the anti-Digital Rights Management (DRM) "movement" is hoping to have its day in the sun with a worldwide Day Against DRM. Blog entries suggest that technophiles, savvy media consumers, programmers and the like will be coming out of the woodwork to voice their discontent. Groups will assemble for direct action events in New Wales, Australia, Malta and Chicago; at the University of British Columbia, and at Apple stores in New York, London, and more. Defective by Design, a campaign of the Free Software Foundation, took their cue from a quote attributed to a Disney executive: "If consumers even know there's a DRM, what it is, and how it works, we've already failed." Defective by Design believes that the events their loosely-affiliated members have planned -- spanning from academic lectures to leaflets and performance art -- will help build the awareness that will be the downfall of DRM. For more information on the costs and benefits of DRM, see our Anti-Circumvention FAQ. Librarians on the March? On Monday, September 25 the anti-DRM folks got an unanticipated boost from a group with a bit more prestige than their average supporter: the British Library. This venerable institution, home to the world's largest research collection, is in a unique position to understand the concerns of both content rights-holders and content end users. That's why they waded into the Intellectual Property debate with an IP Manifesto, delivered at the British Labour Party's Conference. The manifesto calls for a modernization of copyright laws, and has recommendations that will please (and annoy) both sides of the IP debate. But on DRM, the Library has given the October 3rd activists reason to celebrate. In an interview with ZD-Net UK, Library Chief Executive Lynne Brindley soundly criticized DRM as overly restrictive, as it locks out legitimate uses like disabled persons' access and preservation. Brindley also lamented the fact that businesses are using contract law to override copyright law, noting that unlike copyrights, DRMs don't expire. So will Lynne Brindley and the rest of the British Library staff take it to the streets with London's anti-DRM activists on October 3rd? Unlikely. But don't be surprised if the Library’s IP Manifesto winds up topping the best-"seller" lists of the blogosphere this week.
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