Apple Has U.S. Gov't Support Over DRM

The U.S. government lent its support to protests by Apple Computer over a French law that would require the company, along with the digital rights management platforms of others, to interoperate with each other. U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez made the comments as part of an interview on the CNBC cable television network Thursday. While saying he needed more time to look over the law, he felt Apple's intellectual property rights were being violated and the company is right for speaking against the proposal.

Apple has called the law the equivalent of "state-sponsored piracy," however its supporters say it would better protect the rights of artists whose work is sold online. The policy is part of a bigger law designed to combat piracy. "I would compliment [Apple] because we need for companies to also stand up for their intellectual property rights," Gutierrez said in the interview. The law passed the lower house of the French legislature Tuesday by a 2-to-1 margin.