Standardization in DRM – Trends and Recommendations

Oliver Bremer, and Willms Buhse

1/01/2005
(Original Publish Date: 2003)

Digital Rights Management (DRM) is one of the most heavily debated technologies currently. Several attempts are being undertaken to introduce DRM technology into mainstream products. Despised by consumers who fear for their right to fair use, e.g. enabling back-up copies for personal use, it seems to be considered a necessity for a profitable content business in the digital age by many content providers. Its benefits, drawbacks and even implications to society itself are fiercely debated among and between consumer advocates, media power houses, governments, consumer electronics (CE) industry, IT vendors, service providers, and individual consumers alike. The very nature of DRM and the conflicting opinions of consumers and content providers surrounding it make it an extremely difficult topic to constructively discuss, let alone agreeing on. Note: The views and opinions presented in this article are those of the authors and not necessarily of the organizations that employ them.