MPAA: Piracy is the outcome of DRM complications
Written by Smaran on October 17, 2006Last week at the Digital Home Developers Conference Brad Hunt, the MPAA’s executive vice president and chief technology officer said that piracy is the inevitable outcome of the music and movie industries’ inability to provide a simple, inter-compatible and non-intrusive DRM solution.
In a Q & A session he said, “I understand that if we frustrate the consumer, they will simply pirate the content.” He also acknowledged the fact that many consumers are already frustrated because they’re having to buy multiple copies of an album or movie to play on different devices. For example, a song you buy on the iTunes Store won’t play on your Nokia cellphone. And a song you buy on MSN Music or the Zune Marketplace won’t play on your iPod.
There is clearly a need for inter-compatible DRM and Hunt seems to see it. He went on to say, “content protection is going to be critical to enabling the full potential of the digital home network. If devices don’t support content protection, the limits placed on users will undoubtedly frustrate them.” Notice how he still stands firm behind DRM. However, be agreed that “the consumer, if he or she has already purchased licensed material, should certainly be able to transfer that content to any other new or old device.”
Hunt also mentioned that the MPAA is currently working with 3 content protection standard bodies DLNA, DVB and the Coral Consortium to solve these interoperability problems. They are also trying to develop standardised logos and certificates that will help the consumer identify interoperable products. It is worth noting that all three of the bodies are working independently of each other, so we don’t really know what the outcome’s going to be.
It’s nice to see a slight change in the MPAA’s stance. DRM is a necessary evil. You have to agree that it’s not going anywhere, especially in relation to “mainstream” content. The mere fact that they are trying to build an inter-operable standard is a step forward in the right direction. Apple’s FairPlay is possibly the best example of DRM that doesn’t get in the way. Let’s hope the MPAA follow in Apple’s footsteps and come up with an even better solution, however unlikely it may be.
Previously: ToD’s Upcoming Album Leaked on BitTorrent
Next: DRM is like a Speed Bump… on a Highway
18 Responses
How do you figure FairPlay doesnt get in the way? I can only use it on my ipod, I cant burn alot of songs to CD like if it were an MP3 so im forced to buy an RF Adapter and an ipod or an ipod and a car stereo that can accept its input.
Im sick and tired of wasting money just to hear music. What happens if Zune turns out really good and I want to buy one? Now none of my FAIRPLAY music will not work unless I burn it to CD, and then rip it which will make the music lose even more quality.
I have over $800 invested in itunes music and im forced to forever use an ipod even if something superior comes along someday.
DRM is a necessary evil.
No. No, it’s not.
http://www.emusic.com
http://www.magnatune.com
http://www.allofmp3.com
J Astor just gave the very best reason to never buy an iPod, or more specifically, why not to use iTunes, or any other DRM hobbled content.
He also swerves into the other problem, which was alluded to in the story…that is that each company wants lock-in. They want you locked into their hardware, software and content. They want control…no, they want the cash in your pocket and think if they can lock you in you will forver send them your money.
They, the RIAA and the MPAA, also fail to see the other problem. Primarily, they’re charging too much. People don’t feel the content they are getting is worth what they’re supposed to pay for it. A CD for $15.00? I don’t think so… especially when I know how little goes to the artist. Movies for $20.00? Again, I don’t think so. The movie bombed at the theater…it’s maybe worth a one-time 99 cent rental. Until the RIAA and the MPAA understand that their content is worth what they think it’s worth, we’ll have prices that people won’t want to pay. So…they pirate. Pirating causes more DRM, which goes right back to the RIAA and MPAA not understanding what their stuff is really worth. Vicious cycle…that the internet is breaking apart.
Hey…don’t download this song! http://www.dontdownloadthissong.com/
Well, there is that software that strips the DRM off of iTunes music, youd then not be forced to use an ipod
@ J Astor
Actually part of the marketing for the Zune is that they will rebuy all your music for you. You show that you own $800 of music from the ITMS, they’ll give you the exact same songs to play on your Zune.
The fact is, however, that DRM is NOT a necessary evil. It only serves to keep the ignorant honest. I have no real ill will against the MPAA but I will break their DRM, and violate the DMCA making myself a federal criminal, to back up my DVDs. DRM on ITMS purchases violates the right of first sale as well, making it impossible for me to sell something I purchased without givving the buyer my password. Region-branded DVDs do nothing but limit who can buy what while adding no value for the buyers; if I buy a DVD in the UK, I can’t legally play it with an out of the box player in the States so I need to toss the DVD or buy a new copy… or I’ll just watch it on my Linux machine, which is also a violation of the DMCA because it plays DVDs region free. These are all huge problems and by far the simplest solution would be the reversal of the DMCA and the removal of most of the DRM on most media sold.
“content protection is going to be critical to enabling the full potential of the digital home network. If devices don’t support content protection, the limits placed on users will undoubtedly frustrate them.”
Pure nonsense. Content protection is anathema to “the full potential of the digital home network”.
If devices don’t support content protection, interoperability is guaranteed.
Can someone define “inter-compatible DRM”? Who decides what your music is inter-compatible with what? Oh, right, not me.
@ Davis
The Zune tactic is nothing more than a direct jab at Apple. It is most certainly not solving any interopability problems of current DRM technology.
I still don’t see how Apple’s FairPlay isn’t getting in the way. It is still DRM and it still only works on Apple devices and software. It is no better than any other DRM solution out there.
@ Uh
“inter-compatible DRM” just means your DRM’d content can be accessed on more than one vendor’s device/software. They’re not claiming it isn’t still Digital Restrictions Management, just that it will solve most of the piracy when users just want to be able to listen to their own music anywhere.
Echoing comments already made here, DRM is not a “necessary evil”. It doesn’t prevent piracy and it never will.
More importantly, the biggest cause of piracy is artificial restrictions on the marketplace (like DVD release dates being months after the theater release and the aforementioned regional restrictions) rather than customer frustration with intercompatibility (though that doesn’t help either). That’s why black markets exist for any product, not just movies and music. This is basic economics and the fact that the MPAA doesn’t understand it is very disturbing.
No, DRM is not necessary. Piracy rates would be about the same without the DRM in place (sales lost to pirated copies would be made up by increased sales due to lack of user restrictions), and they could be saving all their licensing costs for DRM tech. Users will increasingly demand the ability to rip and convert the media they buy, and the most straightforward method of allowing this is to just forego DRM and release content in open standard formats. That is adding a lot of value to the content, helping to match the value of pirated content already available for free. If you want to compete with free, you have to offer better value.
Ive been committing piracy along time now and the odd thing is that I diddnt get the sony rootkit think my parents bought a legit cd and they did though… I dont think DRM or TPM any of that crap is nescessary.. If the RIAA\MPAA etc want to stop (what they think in their mind) the theft of their property then they should change their buisness models etc.. Not putting in DRM crap etc trying to slow “pirates” down lol… Pointless..
I guess I could go to that allofmp3.com and start downloading some non drm mp3s but oh wait the riaa\mpaa doesnt want me doing that lol …
I vote for a battle of the minds. Let the ones who create DRM be outdone by the ones that can break it. It’s called inovation by neccesity. It’s what gave us RSA encryption. Lets see what the DRM battle can give us and tell the lawmakers to focus on something more important than protecting the investments of the rich. (Who would contribute to their campaign then?)
Indeed, looks like the MPAA is getting a little smarter, they realize that DRM which frustrates users because it hampers interoperability is not a good thing.
Unfortunately… they are still not smart enough. They see DRM is not good, but they are seemingly having unrealistic expectations that it *could* be good, as the following statements indicate:
“There is clearly a need for inter-compatible DRM and Hunt seems to see it.”
“the consumer, if he or she has already purchased licensed material, should certainly be able to transfer that content to any other new or old device.”
I would say that those statements sound pretty goodm but they are a bit like saying “Their clearly is a need for cars that don’t use any energy”. We could solve the world energy crisis if only we had cars like that. But as anybody understands, that is a pipe-dream, a fantasy, a wish for something that is clearly impossible.
Similarly a “good and interoperable” DRM is a physical impossiblity. The whole purpose of DRM is exactly the oppositive of interoperability: its purpose is to stop you from copying or using the content on “non-authorized” devices. A DRM solution which guarantees interoperability is impossible because if it did indeed allow full interoperability it wouldn’t be DRM.
The only way out of this mess is not my building “better” DRM, it’s by getting rid of DRM completely, since it was a bad idea to begin with.
Look all anyone has to do to totally defeat DRM is this:
NEVER BUY ANY PRODUCT WITH DRM.
NEVER BUY ANY MEDIA WITH DRM.
AND.
INFORM THE SELLER WHY YOU REFUSE TO PURCHASE.
I *want* to share songs with my friends. I could always lend casette or CD to my friends and I want to do that with digital media. But it seems that forbidding that is the single most important goal of DRM (certainly it doesn’t stop professional crackers from posting torrents).
Internet purchases have these major problems
1)resitrctions on the media i buy cause “me” problems, so I don’t buy
2)Mp3s sold aren’t CD quality, they are lossy, so I don’t buy
3)Prices for mp3s/acc are at CD quality prices, so i don’t buy
4)I get no physical copy to rip covert how i want, so i don’t buy
5)No artwork or HQ scans, so i don’t buy
I then find almost any Physical ripped copy via the internet
-No restrictions
-Quality is usually 320kps or higher (close to lossless)
-Cost me the price of electric, computer and BB access but no purchase costs
-No physical copy but i can re-encode to low bitrates with little loss
-HQ artwork is usually included and has no restrictions itself
if the content can’t have drm restricting me, it’s impossible to stop me doing what i want to do with it. Being able to do what i want with my media is point 1 and essential.
so if the content can’t be restricted then you have to control how i share it.
I want to share music with friends and move the music i like to think is good.
The logical conclusion is that music can’t have DRM, we’ll always strip it or find better ways of getting non-DRM versions. I think the music and video industry has lost the internet battle and will never win.
I have a Chinese video watch. I can’t find anywhere to get movies for it. iTunes doesn’t work becuas of the fucking DRM and all thge online pay movie downloads also seem to have DRM. So all I can do is use a torrent. But I can’t keep my computer on long enough. I’ll be leaching off the torrent and it will take a very long time to download the movie (from my knowledge of BitTorrent at least). Time is a luxury I don’t have. All I can do is buy a DVD and rip it (which, btw, is illegal). And the DVD prices are insane! So thanks MPAA. What can I do? I have no legal alternative, and even the illegal alternatives don’t sem to be that great! This is why I hate the MPAA, the RIAA, and the DMCA!
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