Adobe Photoshop CS don't open banknote images.

[SDK]

In the Adobe Photoshop CS, who is the successor of Photoshop 7 got a new security about the way it handle banknote images. When you try to open a banknote image, you get this error message.

"[!] This application does not support the unauthorized processing of banknote images. For more information, select the button below for Internet-based information on restrictions for copying and distributing banknote images or go to www.rulesforuse.org."

This feature was ask by the Central Bank Counterfeit Deterrence Group who is a group that represent bank of Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, England, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States.

Link : http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/30610

Link : http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104_2-5138816.html

Edit : Add another Link

[MrLinus]

For the obvious reason that they don't want to be used to counterfeit money. I suspect that the "bad guys" have figured a way to by-pass this (a crack or something to that effect) since counterfeiting bills seems to be at an all-time high.

[groovicus]

Hmmm... that's a rather interesting feature... kudos for trying to be clever.

How long will it be before Photoshop refuses to open copyrighted images? Will you need to pay a license fee to Disney before you open a photo you took of Mickey Mouse?

I happen to agree with this little excerpt. Good idea though it is, where does it stop?

Buliding on what MsMittens said, I would have to assume that there is some little built in database where photoshop compares the images... so if there is nothing in the database for comparison, then it should pass no problem.

Alternatively, any one intent on copying money would just use a different application.

Also, if there is a database for comparisons, I wonder if the image in the database is "complete", or if it just compares keypoints like bill changing machines do?

[chsh]

Hopefully RFID will be able to fix this kind of issue, and likely help governments in tracking money. It would have to be done secretively of course, so nobody knew...

[Lansing_Banda]

Well Photoshop 7 allows money to come in.

And as for that, does the program compare the samples to an online database or something on the hard drive? Either way, it doesn't seem like it would be too hard to go around.

Another interesting point, my friends father (who is a system admin for some company) said that many printerse actually have something in the firmware that blocks its ability to produce certain greens (a.k.a Money Green). I haven't actually found any info on this, but this man isn't known to be wrong that often.

[pwaring]

Over here in the UK copying or defacing a bank note or image of a bank note is technically a criminal offence. In fact, you're not even allowed to own an image of a bank note or make something slightly similar (e.g. for films) without the express permission of the Bank of England. If you imported an image of a £20 note into Photoshop and drew a moustache on the Queen's face - even if you didn't print it (which really would get you in a legal pickle) - you'd be breaking the law. Okay, so no-one is likely to catch you, but if they did you could be thrown in prison for it.

I do agree with groovicus however in that this could get out of control. I don't see how Adobe could stop you loading any images though if you didn't have an internet connection to check whether they matched the blocked list - you'd have to have a huge array of configuration files on your hard disk instead which you could just delete. I honestly can't see how (other than using watermarking of some kind) they could stop you from loading images.

[rcgreen]

It's the narrow end of the wedge for the larger issue of
Digital Rights Management. It seems only reasonable
to fight counterfeiting, but what happens when they
reverse the default behavior so that it will only load
images that expressly grant you permission?

Software companies should not be deputized to do
law enforcement. It leads to vigilantism.

[MrLinus]

Software companies should not be deputized to do law enforcement. It leads to vigilantism.

As far as it relates to criminal activities. What about the possibility of Adobe being sued because they allowed someone to alter copyrighted material? (I'm playing devil's advocate). In the US, there are lawsuits over the stupidest things (case in point: Man sues Cable TV for "fat wife and lazy kids"). Only in the US.

So what stops an artist from suing Adobe (or any other image altering software that is as good as Adobe's Photoshop -- and it is GOOD!) for allowing people to alter their copyrighted images?

[Agent_Steal]

Actually MsM Adobe provides you with software to be able to create and alter images. But it is up to you as an individual to use that software responsibly.

If someone were to sue them just because there image was altered by one of Adobe's products. Well that would be kinda stupid. Since in reality it is the individual who decided to use the tools available to him to change the image. I am pretty sure that Adobe would not condone that type of activity.

You cant sue them just because some people decide to use the product for illegal purposes. Every product one way or another has been used for illegal purposes.

As for RFID chsh one phrase comes to my mind :
"The government will end up abusing it, just like they do with everything else."

[invader]

In the end, it is impossible to curve this menace.
Somebody or other will get around Adobe.
I've seen they have not been able to protect their software all over the world, do you think the counterfeiting can be stopped from willed fools ?

Edit : You can sue, but Adobe will win. First, because they've applied security from their end. Second, because they got money.