Obama's diplomatic gift to UK leader fubared by DRM

Cory Doctorow 8:44 am Thu Mar 19, 2009

Mike sez, "Last month's visit to Washington DC saw the usual exchange of diplomatic gifts – Gordon Brown gave President Obama a pen holder carver from the timbers of a ship involved in the fight against slavery. In exchange, he was given a box set of 25 classic American movies.

On DVD.

According to the Telegraph, the leader of a government committed to stronger IP laws sat down recently to watch his new present and…

…they're Region 1 DVDs.

Would it be terribly wrong to tell Gordon Brown how to break CSS?"

A Downing Street spokesman said he was "confident" that any gift Obama gave Brown would have been "well thought through," but referred me to the White House for assistance on the "technical aspects".

A White House spokesman sniggered when I put the story to him and he was still looking into the matter when my deadline came last night.

Gordon Brown is frustrated by 'Psycho' in No 10

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