DefectiveByDesign.org Scores a Big Victory with Apple EMI Announcement

CivicActions has been working with the Free Software Foundation on the DefectiveByDesign campaign since last May. In that time we have seen a significant shift in the way DRM is talked about in the news media and an increasing awareness of DRM among music fans and the general public.

Last month we launched an open letter to Steve Jobs asking him to follow up on his pledge to drop DRM from the iTunes Music Store. Over six thousand people signed the letter in 3 weeks. I was getting ready to print the letter and send it, along with a Jester’s Hat, when the news broke that EMI and Apple announced that EMI would drop DRM from its entire digital music catalog and Apple will sell the songs without DRM on the iTunes Music Store.

Jobs also announced he expects to add to the DRM free offerings throughout the year. This is a huge victory for DefectiveByDesign and opponents of DRM everywhere.