A consumer complains about the use of copy control technology
I hate Copy Controlled CDs with a vengeance, and bought one by mistake today - Interpol's The Black EP. I've handed over money to buy a CD which features one track I have already got, one I haven't, and four 'alternate' version of tracks I have already got, only to find I can't use the item as I see fit.
I mostly listen to music in two places. At work, using iTunes on my laptop - and I can't rip mp3's from this disc. And I listen to music on the way to work on my minidisc player - and my little combined CD/MD teenie-weenie system for the living room at home is configured to not allow me to record Copy Controlled CDs onto MD either. So I've paid ten quid for something I can't use in either of my primary listening locations, and they wonder why physical music sales are down?
Interpol are going straight back to the shop tomorrow...despite the quote in this PDF FAQ [PDF file: 20k] from the BPI website:
Q. Have there been many consumer complaints about the use of copy control technologies?
A. Reports from around Europe and in Japan indicate that the number of complaints has been very low indeed.
Well, you can add this one.
see also: Campaign for Digital Rights - Corrupt audio discs
Posted by Martin Belam, January 12, 2004
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About Martin Belam
I'm a London-based internet consultant and writer, with 8 years experience in product management, information architecture, and user experience design for global brands like Sony, Vodafone, The Guardian and the BBC. I specialise in advising on search, widgets, RSS, online news publishing and bulk email delivery.
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1 comment so far
I agree with all that is said here! I bought Athletes' 'Vehicles and animals' which to my dismay had the EMI copy control technology making me unable to put the cd onto my iPod which is my pimary music source! I will never be buying an emi product again and in fact will not be buying the latest athlet album.
Cheers EMI