Canada’s federal court has issued an injunction banning several companies from distributing set-top boxes with pre-loaded software, despite the fact that everyone agrees the boxes also have legitimate uses. 

Source: Toronto Star

Date: August 25th, 2016

Link: Set top boxes

Discussion

1) At issue here is ” set-top boxes that turn standard televisions into “smart TVs,” enabling users to access a wide range of video content found online. By all accounts, this includes authorized content such as YouTube, Netflix or other online video providers, as well as unauthorized streaming services that offer access to unlicensed content.”  Do you agree with the Canadian Supreme Court which “issued an injunction banning several companies from distributing any set-top boxes with pre-loaded software, characterizing the technology as an “existential” threat” to Canada’s largest communications and media companies — Bell, Videotron and Rogers?  Support your argument.

2) Why does this only apply to set-top boxes and not laptop computers running almost exactly the same software?