PlayFair hacked again

via Slashdot: iTunes’ DRM scheme has been circumvented again, and the PlayFair project, as it’s called, has a new name and a new webpage: hymn-project.org. Now you can strip the restrictions off any songs you buy from the iTunes Music Store, and play them on whatever software or portable player you choose. In case Apple sends them another cease and desist letter, Free Software Foundation India will be providing legal support.

It should be noted that the PlayFair project has virtually no usefulness or significance for filesharing. All of the music on iTunes is readily available elsewhere, and at this point it seems like anyone who’s interested in using iTunes is probably not going to be very pro-active about sharing their music. It’s not obvious at first glance why Apple has been playing legal hardball with a tiny project that is not going to have the tiniest impact on their bottom line. Apple’s a pretty smart company, so our guess is that the impetus for legal action traces back to much less smart companies: the majors. When news comes out about Apple’s DRM being shaky, the major record labels get spooked, and Apple–to ease their fears–calls in the lawyers.

The hymn-project, though it’s based in India, and though the kid who started it is from Norway, features some choice words from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Interpreted faithfully, American copyright law is actually pretty cool. Too bad it barely ever is. Check it out