For those that don't, Digital Rights Management is a technology used to
protect digital content from piracy. The definition sounds fair enough. I
have no problem with trying to protect the rights of those who work hard and
create. Moreover, I think businesses and corporations have the right to make
money as well---after all, that is why they are in business in the first
place.
However, when I go to a store (online or bricks and mortar) and buy a song,
collection of songs, or a movie, shouldn't I be able to listen to or view
this content whenever and however I want? Obviously, if I buy a CD, make
10,000 copies and sell those copies for a profit, then I must be violating
some type of law---I get that. What I don't get is why I have to pay (and
sometimes in more ways than one) two or sometimes even three times for that
same content depending on where I want to listen?
All About Control
In the late 90s, content providers felt that their lucrative business was
threatened, so they lobbied hard to get some laws in place to protect
copyrighted digital content. Unfortunately, DRM goes beyond just trying to
protect rights and keeping businesses profitable. DRM is a way to control
you and your wallet.
The media industry want to control how and where we hear and view "their"
content---"nickel and dimming" us as we go. There is currently no
legislation preventing content providers from doing whatever they want. In
fact, content providers like Sony, are abusing DRM in unscrupulous ways to
control consumers.
Just last year Sony and its subcontractors added a form of spyware to over
10 million music CDs. When consumers tried to play the CD in their PCs, it
would automatically download and install software that would track their
online behavior and even share personal information with what Sony calls
"reputable" third parties. Sony was slapped on the hand when they agreed to
settle the dispute with consumers by replacing the CDs with spyware-free
music. To me, this sounds like offering to provide free condoms after giving
you VD.
The damage is done, and the settlement was like I said, a mere slap on the
hand for Sony. According to the January edition of PC magazine, the damage
is much worse than Sony would like to admit. This spyware cannot be easily
uninstalled and it makes your system vulnerable to other attacks by
"disreputable" third parties.
Legally Speaking
Considering the legal aspects of this issue. There is also something called
Fair Use Rights. This law basically says that I have the "right to use
copyrighted material in ways that do not interfere with the copyright
owner's market for creation". Obviously, there is lots of room for
interpretation or misinterpretation here.
DRM Promotes Piracy!
The irony in all this is that content providers are doing the exact opposite
of what they intended. Profits are slowly eroding. For example, Apple's
iPod sales are way up, but iTunes downloads are down, according to Rob
Enderle, Principal Analyst, Enderle Group. Personally, I think DRM is slowly
pushing honest paying customers into a state of rationalized dishonesty.
Sony and others are likely creating their own monsters. Said another way,
DRM promotes piracy!
After that slap on the hand, Sony did say they would "reevaluate" their
position on DRM. Make no mistake folks, there is no reevaluation going on.
Dare I say ALL content providers participate in some form of DRM today and
the list keeps growing? If they didn't, they wouldn't be able to stay
competitive. Who pays the price?
Apple's iTunes
Here's what you can expect to find using the iTunes DRM model. Keep in mind
that there are several different DRM technologies out there. Content
providers have no restrictions on how they implement DRM. However, it is
against the law to tamper with DRM in any way.
Okay, iTunes (the software) is free! Yipee. However, after that it goes
down-hill. Music costs 99 cents per track or $9.99 per album---not too bad.
Here's where it gets tricky:
. You can burn each track to CD as many times as you like, but you can
only burn any given playlist 10 times.
. You can only play and/or save your downloaded tracks on five
different computers. Keep in mind that if you ever need to reinstall your
operating system say because you got a virus, then you have four left.
. You can transfer your music to as many Apple iPods as you like (How
nice! Too bad we can't listen to more than one iPod at a time). I guess
Apple is saying that we can share files among other iPod owners, but not on
the Internet---At Apple, you are family!
. The iPod supports AAC (Advanced Audio Coding), AIFF (Audio
Interchange File Format), MP3, or WAV formats only. If you have a library of
WMA (Microsoft's version) formatted files, then you'll have to convert those
to one of the above supported formats. Converting the WMA files can be
tricky too because they have their own flavor of DRM.
. You cannot "stream" songs downloaded by iTunes. This means if you
setup a wireless home entertainment networked system, you won't be able to
listen to your downloaded iTune files from a PC in a remote room of your
home.
. iTune files will not play on a portable device other than an Apple
iPod. Nice!
Eating Cake
Okay. So I buy an iPod and fill it with iTune formatted songs. Needless to
say, Apple has strings to my wallet for a very long time. Yet is there
another way? Can we still have our cake and eat it too? YES, at least with
music.
MP3
Meet the format that is still unrestricted. MP3 stands for MPEG Audio Layer
III. In the late 80's a German guy named Karlheinz Brandenburg figured out a
way to compress a digital song without any noticeable loss of sound quality.
To date, almost every digital music player sold supports the original MP3
format---even the extremely popular iPod. Interesting, isn't it? So the
question people should be asking themselves is how can I convert my
DRM-laden music into MP3?
Well, hackers figured it out rather quickly. With perhaps the exception of
HDCP (High Definition Copy Protection) every flavor of DRM technology has
been cracked. If you're going to collect thousands or even tens of thousands
of songs, do away with restrictions before you archive. Imagine finding out
after years of collecting iTune songs that Apple has become a Pear and you
have to open your wallet one more time to convert to yet another proprietary
format?
Here's how to do it
MP3 was the first
What people want is fair use of content purchased at a reasonable price.
DRM Timeline:
1985 - The first attempt at copy protection for VHS videocassettes. This was
easily foiled by hackers.
1994 IBM introduces its idea of DRM technology. Never hits mainstream.
1994 DirecTV launches satellite TV service using smart cards. Hackers
quickly developed "smarter" cards.
1996 The CSS (Content Scrambling System) debuts on some DVDs, making use of
a 40-bit encryption algorithm to protect content and enforce region coding.
Hackers use a little reverse engineering and break the algorithm in 1999.
1997 Because of hacking problems, DirecTV finishes replacing its first
version of smart access cards.
1998 Congress passes the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act), outlawing
the dissemination of technology that works around copyright protection
technologies.
1999 DVDs get Macrovision protection. Hackers easily break the code.
2003 Apple launches a DRM system called FairPlay. Microsoft also launches
its own WRMS (Windows Rights Management System).
2004 The European Union passes the EUCD (EU Copyright Directive), which is
similar to the DMCA. Real Networks introduces a DRM system called Helix. HBO
begins using CGMS-A (Content Generation Management System for Analog),
designed to prevent consumers from making copies of on-demand programming.
2005 Macrovision introduces RipGuard technology, which is designed to
prevent individuals from using ripping software to copy a DVD.
It comes down to the rights of consumers vs. the rights of business," says
RedMonk analyst Stephen O'Grady. "What people want is fair use of content
purchased at a reasonable price."
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