Canon Creates Keyword-Based DRM For Copy Machines?

from the can't-copy-this dept

In an attempt by Canon to help plug the analog hole when it comes to physically copying documents, apparently its new scanner/copier machine has a feature, named Uniflow 5, which will use some optical character recognition (OCR) tech to stop you from copying/scanning anything with specific keywords:

The latest version of Uniflow has a keyword-based security system. Once configured by an administrator, the system can prevent a user from attempting to print, scan, copy or fax a document containing a prohibited keyword, such as a client name or project codename.

The server will email the administrator a PDF copy of the document in question if a user attempts to do so.

The system can optionally inform the user by email that their attempt has been blocked, but without identifying the keyword in question, maintaining the security of the system.

You can certainly see why some paranoid organizations might like this, but it seems like just another form of DRM which will likely only serve to piss off legitimate users.

Filed Under: copy machine, drm
Companies: canon