PARIS (Reuters) – France is pushing through a law that would force Apple Computer Inc to open its iTunes online music store and enable consumers to download songs onto devices other than the computer maker’s popular iPod player.
Under a draft law expected to be voted in parliament on Thursday, consumers would be able to legally use software that converts digital content into any format.
It would no longer be illegal to crack digital rights management — the codes that protect music, films and other content — if it is to enable to the conversion from one format to another, said Christian Vanneste, Rapporteur, a senior parliamentarian who helps guide law in France.
French plan would open iTunes to other devices — by Astrid Wendlandt
There’s been a lot of interesting discussion related to DRM and Creative Commons (especially this morning’s Commons-based Business Models panel). If France moves forward with this kind of law, I think it’s only going to make this situation better, more open, more transparent and actually… better for Apple.
While perhaps not hugely impactful over the long term (in a globalized world, one country’s laws really don’t make a massive difference in WTO-scheme of things), setting the example (especially given the path to darkness France was previously on) will be tremendously didactic for the various and soon-to-be-obsolete DRM industries (ok, "soon" as in 5 to 12 years).
technorati tags: efftheriaa, itunes, apple, france, drm
Factory Joe 
We just hope that other countries will follow the lead of France.