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34 Ottawa L. Rev. 7 (2002-2003)
Technical Protection Measures: Tilting at Copyright's Windmill

handle is hein.journals/ottlr34 and id is 13 raw text is: TECHNICAL PROTECTION MEASURES

Technical Protection Measures:
Tilting at Copyright's Windmill
DR. IAN R. KERR,* ALANA MAURUSHAT**
AND CHRISTIAN S. TACIT***

Canada's imminent decision whether to ratify
the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WC) and the
WIPO Performances and Phonograms
Treaty (W/P1) raises questions about the
extent to which Canadian law ought to protect
the technologies that protect works subject to
copyright in a digital environment. In address-
ing this question, the authors commence with a
detailed description of the current state of the
art in technological protection measures
(7PMs). The authors demonstrate that an
attempt to provide a simple description of TPMs
has been complicated by the introduction of
more   sophisticated  information   systems
designed to protect intellectual property, known
as digital rights management systems (DRMs).
Following their technological description of
TPMs and DRMs, the authors analyze the TPM
concept and investigate the legal implications of
Canada's commitment as a signatory of the
WCT and WPPT to provide adequate legal pro-
tection and effective legal remedies against the
circumvention of effective technological meas-
ures. After situating their analysis in a broader
philosophical context, the authors consider the
consequences of affording an additional layer of
protection over and above the existing protec-
tions offered by copyright law, contract law and

La dicision imminente du Canada concernant la
ratification du Traiti de I'OMPI sur le droit
d'auteur et du Trait& de I'OMPI sur les
interprtations et executions et les phono-
grammes soule des questions quant d l'iten-
due de Ia protection en droit canadien des tech-
nologies visant d prot~ger les oeuvres qui font
l'objet d'un droit d'auteur dans un environ-
nement numiris6. Les auteurs font d'abord une
description de 'tt actuel des mesures de pro-
tection technologique. Ils dimontrent qu il n 'est
pas facile d'arriver d une description simple,
itant donni l'introduction de systimes d'infor-
mation complexes conpus pour Ia protection de
la propriitk, intellectuelle, dits syst~mes de ges-
tion des droits d'auteur lectroniques.
Aprs cette description des mesures de pro-
tection et des systimes de gestion des droits d'au-
teur 6lectroniques, les auteurs analysent ]a
notion de protection glectronique. Ils explorent
les r~percussions juridiques pour le Canada en
tant que signataire des trait& pricit&s de l'OAI0I
sur le plan de l'engagement i assurer une pro-
tection adequate et des recours juridiques effi-
caces en cas de contournement des mesures tech-
nologiques en vigueur. Transposant leur analyse
dans le contexte philosophique plus large, les
auteurs s interrogent sur le bien-fondk de l'ajout

Dr. Ian Kerr, Canada Research Chair in Ethics, Law & Technology, Faculty of Law, University of
Ottawa; Special Counsel, Technology Law, Nelligan O'Brien Payne LLP
Alana Maurushat, Assistant Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Hong Kong; L.L.M. (with
Concentration in Law & Technology), Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa; Former Student Intern at
Nelligan O'Brien Payne LLP
.. Christian S. Tacit, Partner with Nelligan, O'Brien Payne LLP and Technology Law Practice
Group Leader
This article is based on two studies funded by Canadian Heritage. The authors wish to thank Bruce
Stockfish for his support. The authors are also indebted to Loris Mirella for his invaluable comments
and suggestions. Thanks also to Andrew Huzar, Steven Pink, Tracey Ross, Shannon Ross, Christopher
Rootham, Erin Smith, and Wing Yan for their contributions to an earlier draft. Finally, thanks to the
Centre for Innovation Law and Policy for providing the support necessary to adapt the original
Heritage studies into the current law review article.

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