As a contemporary business person, creator, or lawyer, it’s very important to understand what Digital Rights Management (DRM) technologies are. Just like copyright laws, Digital Rights Management software seeks to protect creative and intellectual property. It is highly controversial however – critics say that Digital Rights Management Software does not actually protect intellectual property, and also that it is damaging to innovation and creativity. Is there something to their argument, or are opponents simply angry that it has become harder to steal media and software in recent years? Let’s examine both sides of the issue.
Image via CrunchBase
How does it work?
Usually DRM works by protecting text documents, movie files, music files, or other types of files such as images and flash files, from being copied. If you’ve ever tried to play an MP3 on another device besides your iTunes library and failed, it’s probably because the file has been encrypted to only play for a certain type of player, even a specific computer. Often DRM software puts a digital lock on files so that they cannot be copied or shared.
What Critics Say
Critics say that DRM does not protect digital information, but rather only hinders authorized customers from using a product they have purchased. For instance, if you have purchased music, you should be able to copy it and listen to it from another device such as a DVD or CD, but often consumers are unable to do so because of DRM software. Often the problem is, consumer groups complain, that competing businesses and providers can make systems that are incompatible, making purchases that consumers have legally obtained unusable.
Does it Even Work?
It’s true that artists and companies in the entertainment industry have suffered major losses since the internet has enabled a whole world of file sharing opportunities, and companies that use DRM software claim that DRM gives them a way to protect their profits and also the rights of artists.
Critics say, however, that because DRM software puts users through so much hassle—forcing to provide serial numbers and often giving them only the capability to use media on one machine – it actually provides incentive for users to look for pirated versions of media such as games, movies, and music, rather than encouraging them make legitimate purchases. DRM also simply doesn’t work, some say. According to the Forbes article, The Truth Is, It Doesn’t Work, by Daniel Nye Griffiths, the DRM code for popular games are often cracked within hours of release, thus making the time, money, and energy poured into the software a waste of time.
It seems that this is largely a PR battle – to consumers many companies have gained a tyrannical, imposing, face, which consumers often don’t associate with individual artists or creative workers. However, in recent years, with additions to the entertainment scene that encourage user input and individual creativity (like YouTube) gaining considerable clout, and advances in technology that allow small-timers to produce decent movies for less than 40 grand, and talented folks to write, produce, and perform their own musical sensations… perhaps big companies and the way copyright used to work is just—over. But don’t worry, people everywhere are looking for-and finding, new opportunities to make money.
About Guest Author: As a writer and computer enthusiast, David Rocke was helping his friends program their computers and protect their documents for years before become the resident blogger for Vanguard Archives of Chicago.