What is digital rights management? An umbrella term in reference to controlled access to various digital data, movies, music and/or software, digital rights management manages analysis, description, layering, valuation and trade and monitoring of rights held in relation to digital work(s).

Also called by its acronym, ‘DRM,’ digital rights management does not provide copy or technical protection; rather, it applies to analog and digital media, and restricts the free use and transfer of digital content. For example, in current media files, such as iTunes, DRM data is built into downloads so to limit the amount of devices where tunes may be played. Another form of DRM is often implemented into eBooks to limit the amount of computers where a book may be viewed. Digital rights management use if often applied in films, television shows (including TiVo) and many other media formats as well.

Notorious Napster is known for its approach to DRM. In its case, it offers its users a subscription service which allows the downloading and streaming of unlimited amounts of music during the subscription service; however, if a user does not make his contractual payment, music downloads become unusable.

Another online form of DRM is whereby users are permitted to purchase tracks over the Internet for a specific price; however purchased file downloads are often DRM encoded to support particular devices only.

To list just a few examples of digital rights management (DRM) systems, see the following:

• Adobe Systems .PDF
• SCMS
• Macrovision
• iTunes
• Windows Media Audio, Windows Media Video and Windows Media Player
• Sony

Additionally, several devices currently utilize digital rights management (DRM) including Xbox and Xbox 360, DVD players, Apple iPod, Sony PS2 Memory Card and Sony Memory Stick.

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