COPYCENSE

“Big media players are accustomed to watching the ratings for the most popular music, video and book content, but perhaps they should pay more attention to how consumers feel about three letters at the bottom of most charts — DRM, which stands for digital rights management.

“Media players are risking a consumer backlash by deploying overzealous systems with such limitations, especially in the wake of Sony BMG’s decision last year to sell CDs with copy-protection software using “rootkits” — computer software frequently used by hackers to cloak the presence of viruses and spyware.

“The Sony incident, however, raises a host of questions. First and foremost is whether consumers are being duped when they buy content, only to find there are restrictions on transferring music to multiple devices or, even worse, that the DRM software exposes their computer to security risks. Other questions include: Is DRM worth the effort? How can you balance the rights of consumers with the rights of media companies? And what’s the future of DRM?”

Knowledge@Wharton. Digital Rights Management (DRM): Media Companies’ Next Flop? No date.

Editor’s note: Version 1.1 of CopyCense’s bibliography on the Sony rootkit scandal is now available.

CopyCense™: K. Matthew Dames on the intersection of business, law and technology. A business venture of Seso Digital LLC.