DRM or Digital Rights Management is a service that allows owners of digital content to control who can use their content and in which manner it will be used. DRM is about protecting rights and tracking usage of copyright material.

This is an umbrella term that encompasses to a variety of technologies that protect copyright material.

DRM works a variety of different ways, which are dependant on the medium used and the type of restrictions the copyright holder wishes to impose. All of us have faced DRM at one time or another. If you’ve ever downloaded a .WMA (Windows Media Audio) file, or tried to burn a CD that stopped while providing you with a message about copying protected material you’ve experience Digital Rights Management. Basically, DRM is the padlock for the Internet restricting what you can and cannot download, copy, or install.

There are a variety of different Digital Rights Management schemas, but there are generally four basic stages – Packaging when encryption keys are built into the software or movie; Distribution when DRM encrypted files are downloaded or emailed to the consumer; License Serving when certain servers authorize the user to connect; License Acquisition where customers acquire encryption keys to play/listen/use the content.

Who uses DRM?

Anyone that wants to protect their intellectual property uses Digital Rights Management. Microsoft is one company that utilizes DRM a lot. In fact, most of us will have experienced their usage of DRM with the keys associated with software.

Companies like Apple with its iTunes store, music producers, movie distributors, TV stations, and a host of other companies or industries use DRM to protect their intellectual property.

How DRM affects you will depend on what products you use.

But most of us at some point feel that Digital Rights Management has overstepped the boundary by restricting what you can do with your legitimate downloads.

Consumers feel they are being treated as criminals by overzealous companies restricting the consumers’ ability to use products they have purchased. Digital Rights Management is not going to leave anytime soon but most would agree that companies need to find a more "middle of the road" way to protect their intellectual property while not infuriating consumers.

Companies who use DRM argue that they would NOT allow the use of their content without using DRM and so the consumer will miss out.

However the tide may now be turning.... as I write this article some companies are now offering access to some of their digital content DRM free!!

The two leaders are Universal and EMI Music... who sell their tunes through the iTunes store and Wal-Mart's online music store. BUT you are going to have to pay more per download for the privilege!

On the US iTunes store EMI are offering DRM tracks are .99 whilst DRM free are 1.30

I just wonder who will follow their lead?

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Marc Liron - Bio
Microsoft Digital Media MVP
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This page was last updated 22nd August 2007

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A page about Digital Rights Management