Watching France

France withdrew provisions relating to a p2p license, but then after some intense debate within parliament the provisions appear to have been reintroduced. Does not mean that it will be passed but at least will be debated - vote expected after 14 March 2006:
p2pnet.net, French p2p file sharing law (4 March 2006) <http://p2pnet.net/story/8081> at 6 March 2006

BBC News, French MPs vote on digital piracy (3 March 2006) <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4770458.stm> at 7 March 2006

Yahoo! News UK, French government tries to block Internet 'download fee' (6 March 2006) <http://uk.news.yahoo.com/06032006/323/french-government-tries-block-internet-download-fee.html> at 8 March 2006

SignOnSanDiego.com, France reconsiders legal file-sharing bill (9 March 2006)<http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FRANCE_PIRACY_VOTE?SITE=CADIU&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT> at 10 March 2006

Record industry explains why security issues are not a good enough reason to allow users to circumvent DRM:
Freedom To Tinker, RIAA Says Future DRM Might “Threaten Critical Infrastructure and Potentially Endanger Lives” (8 March 2006) <http://www.freedom-to-tinker.com/?p=984> at 10 March 2006

APRA recertified by ACCC - not sure where this will leave the Australian Creative Commons licenses:
ACCC, ACCC re-authorises collective administration of music performing rights by APRA (9 March 2006) <http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/726809/fromItemId/2332> at 10 March 2006

Kazaa case means one step closer to High Court and not much more than that:
The Register, Five days closer to a Kazaa resolution ... or not? (7 March 2006) <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/07/kazaa_appeal_2/> at 8 March 2006

Legal CD swaps for a dollar making it more absurd that file sharing is illegal - read the second of these articles and question whether the RIAA could just load a whole heap of spoof pages that will render the site useless???:
CNet News.com/Reuters, CD-swap network to slip through copyright loophole? (7 March 2006) <http://news.com.com/CD-swap+network+to+slip+through+copyright+loophole/2100-1025_3-6046817.html?tag=nefd.top> at 8 March 2006

The Register, Lala - a P2P NetFlix for swapping CDs (7 March 2006) <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/07/lala_launch/> at 10 March 2006

New file sharing program - only for authorised material - but we will not be monitoring you:
p2pnet.net, Allpeers Firefox p2p wins funding (7 March 2006) <http://p2pnet.net/story/8108> at 8 March 2006