GAMES console makers such as Sony Computer
Entertainment and Microsoft may need to re-engineer anti-piracy
technology in consoles made for the Australian market to stop consumers
using illegal game titles, according to law firm Minter Ellison.
Amendments to Australia's copyright laws expected to be passed this
week will make it legal for consumers to use modified chips (mod-chips)
that circumvent anti-piracy technology built into game consoles if they
also overcome measures that restrict the use of DVDs and games titles
purchased legally in other regions.
Minter Ellison special counsel Carolyn Dalton said technology
measures designed to restrict use of copyright material in geographic
regions, including coding built into DVD players and games consoles,
won't be given special protection under the law.
Games manufacturers will need to have technology in their consoles
to deal with region coding and copyright protection that operate
independently.
"I think people are just going to have to sit down and think about manufacturing standards," Ms Dalton said.
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Andrew Colley
December 5, 2006
Source: Australian IT