Copyright Consultations
copyrightconsultation.gc.ca
Common menu bar links
Archived - McFetridge, Craig
Archived Content
Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page.
Hi,
I am an electrical engineer. Part of my work involves ensuring the secure transmission and access of information.
I use a lot of generic and off the shelf hardware in ways that were probably never envisaged by the manufacturer. I am concerned that devices in the future may be hampered by technologies designed to enforce copyright.
An example of technology hampered by copyright holders is the region encoding on DVDs . Many people have purchased DVDs when travelling abroad or ordered a DVD from across the world that is not available in Canada, such as an Australian surf movie.
My computer will only let me switch regions five times before it stays stuck on one region. If I watch a North American DVD and then my Australian one five times then I can no longer watch some of the DVDs which I have paid for.
Clearly copyright holders do not always have their customer's best interests at heart.
As for using hardware in different and unexpected ways, this is part of what enables the business I work for to exist. We do what other companies thought couldn't be done economically. If the access and research of encryption technologies and digital locks became illegal or restricted it would impede my ability to innovate and hurt our business.
All the information in the world will be digital one day, not just the latest and greatest movies and music. Technology which impedes the flow of digital information will affect everybody, because for most of us the information we care about is not a movie or a song but our work and our personal lives.
Giving copyright holders the keys to the devices which we use to access the digital world is something that can not be done for nobody can predict the thousands of new and innovative technologies, businesses and products that could be born with unfettered access to information.
Thanks for considering my submission and good luck producing a bill that will benefit Canadian citizens and protect their rights, whether they be musicians, performers, engineers, or consumers of digital media.
