US DOJ sides with Apple in brewing fight with Europe

DRM lovers and haters alike, gather round, because the good ol' US Cavalry (played in this film by the US Department of Justice), has just saddled up and taken sides in what is prepared to be an epic showdown between some wild west cowboys (Apple) and strangers from the east (Europe). As IDG News Service reported yesterday, the first shot has been fired by Thomas Barnett, an assistant attorney general at the DOJ's antitrust division. Barnett and his DOJ posse are siding with Apple and warning European countries like Norway, Sweden, Denmark and France to back off, arguing that forcing companies to reveal their intellectual property slows innovation -- and they haven't discussed the anti-consumer angle, or the increasing feeling abroad that Apple is acting anti-competitively. Meanwhile, the Norwegian Consumers Council is going to meet with Apple later this month to try to solve this issue more diplomatically before things gets out of control and Apple and Europe have to duke it out in the OK Corral court.

[Via Boing Boing]

[Joe V @ Sep 15th 2006 7:25PM]

Well dammit, that means Apple really IS wrong.

[WilliamBlake @ Sep 15th 2006 7:42PM]

Apple must show unbeatable.

If those stupid ingorant governors don't understand the idea behind Apple Fair Play DMR, Apple should retire iTunes stores, they will sell the same amount of iPods after all and let microsoft face the costs of lawyers and flatten the terrain to come back to europe. It's ridiculous.

A frustrated european tired of the RIAA like entities in europe.

[Rob @ Sep 15th 2006 8:57PM]

"revealing intellectual property slows innovation"? That is the biggest load of malarky I've ever heard.

[Alex @ Sep 15th 2006 9:01PM]

I do think that Apple sort of has a monopoly going with their iTunes/iPod platform, but it allows them to create their seamless connectivity between the iPod and iTunes. And its not like the iPod is a bad music player. I doubt many would use other players with iTunes anyway.

[Bootes @ Sep 15th 2006 9:20PM]

I love Apple, but I'm on Europes side. :) DRM is evil and the listed European countries seem to be the only ones that will do anything about it.

[Shane @ Sep 15th 2006 9:34PM]

Well I think that music purchased from the iTunes Music Store (iTMS) that can only be played on iPods and in iTunes is a potential antitrust issue. (read: I'd love to play the movies from iTMS on a PSP)

[busta @ Sep 15th 2006 10:36PM]

Like the U.S. needs any more reasons for the world to hate us. This is disgusting.

[crescentdave @ Sep 15th 2006 10:58PM]

It's touching to see the number of applets who blindly support their corporate touchstone. It's really a testimonial to the mindset corporations have managed to inculcate in American consumers- a mindset seldom matched and never exceeded in the rest of the world.

The DOJ consistently upholds some of our deepest beliefs, including "the business of America is business." Coolidge, like certain other presidents more of our time, was not first elected to office. At the end of the term he was, the Great Depression ensued. One hopes the same won't hold true today.

[Godsmurf @ Sep 16th 2006 4:22AM]

Funny how some Apple fanboys with no grasp of economics are supporting Apple in this against their own interests as consumers of Apple products.

Since nowadays corporate interests usually beat consumer interests, especially in the USA, it's unlikely these few countries will manage to force Apple to give up its monopolistic behaviour. But kudos to them for trying in any case.

[AlanJC @ Sep 16th 2006 5:59AM]

Basically the EU argument is not about stealing Apples IP, it's about being able to use any music store with any player.

Would you buy a DVD player from Blockbuster that cost more than most other players, but it could only play DVD's from that one store?

Microsoft's system still locks you into DRM sure, but you can choose who you buy your music from.

I personally just buy the CD and rip it myself. About the same cost, but better quality, I can play it on anything I own, and it looks nicer on a shelf than a bunch of 0's and 1's on my hdd.

[John Smith @ Sep 16th 2006 10:05AM]

Music bought from iTMS should only be played on the ipod.

[Anthony @ Sep 22nd 2006 3:48PM]

Godsmurf, the Yanks have a long history of supporting governments and corporations against their own interests (same in the UK).

[Len Sherman @ Oct 6th 2006 2:07AM]

I can see it now. The "new axis of evil" and "weapons of mass distribution" will be used as an excuse to attack countries where the governments are not in the pockets of the content machine. Boy....that really sounds nuts.....I wonder when It'll happen.