RAW File Encryption and Competition Law

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By now most readers are familiar with what is currently the most important issue facing photographers this decade. That is – the closed, proprietary, and proliferating number of RAW file formats. Even more distressing is that there are now camera makers who are encrypting some of their RAW data.
An article on this subjectand a petition to the camera makers asking them to adopt open standards has been published here and on several other web sites. But, regardless of which side of the debate one is on, there is more to the issue than photographers asking for unfettered access to their own files. There are legal ramifications as well.
In this exclusive article one of Canada's leading competition law lawyers,Andrew J. Roman, takes a look at issues such asTied Selling,Refusal to Deal, andAbuse of DominantPosition. While these observations pertain to Canadian law in these matters, Mr. Roman makes it clear that...