The semiconductor industry likes to think it doesn't have to worry about software or Digital Rights Management (DRM). I'm often told "those things will work themselves out on their own."
But the truth is, DRM defines how a user will interact with technology. And it defines how different devices are able to communicate. Can you play that movie you downloaded on your tablet, smartphone, or TV? That's DRM, and it's also the digital ecosystem from a consumer's point of view.
One of the themes from this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was that we've moved beyond devices. Moore's Law has ensured that we've reached an age where one notebook or another is pretty much the same. So the struggle for the hearts of consumers is now about convincing them which ecosystem, or user interface, is the best for them. That will decide what phone they buy, which TV, which tablet, etc. And all of this is built upon DRM.
So what did CES tell us about DRM? That it's going to be a long, hard battle for our rights as consumers during the next five years. I say this, not because anyone at CES told me, but because of how the security sessions went. Led by a Department of Homeland Security moderator, the mobile security panel showed that they're afraid of technology, and that their solution to all the security problems out there is to tether us more firmly to the grid. Every step you take will require authentication.
But security is gained by being as far off the grid as possible, not by being tethered to it. All in all, the worst idea I heard at CES, for our "safety," was the idea of tethering our debit cards to our smartphones so that you can only use your debit card if your smartphone is right there with you. For your safety. Or extreme annoyance.
Yet, did anyone on the panel discuss Sony's loss of its PS3 customers' personal data? Personal data that it stores for its customers' "security"? No. As consumers, our biggest security vulnerability comes from the corporations. The lists of passwords and usernames we're forced to create, along with the PINs and security questions -- those are all security leaks waiting to happen. If I lose my computer, my data is lost and my identity may be compromised. If Sony loses its computer, millions of people's data is lost.
So why is the security discussion focused on me and my computer instead of where the real problem is?
Michell, this blog is thought provoking on so many levels. The fact that DRM directly affects hardware sales cannot be overemphasized in my opinion. I also never considered that security (in the minds of some pundits) means being tightly tethered to grid. I have no fewer than a half dozen passwords to access my company's sites alone. Now throw in social networking, online payments, online purchases, random registration for the occasionally-used site and a number of things I haven't thought of and the password list becomes impossible. I usually click the "remember me" box just so I don't have to remember another password. You are absolutely correct that the security solution is being moved farther and farther away from the source of the problem.
I agree. Security needs to be targetted on the enterprise side where there are more regulations for the organizations to protect sensitive data. Yet, I feel, there are certain provisions that also need to be made on the part of consumers to ensure they remain protected.
I think she meant in a different way, the way of DRM interpretation with the technology may ends up in decides which products we have to purchase. While manufacturing the product the manufacturer has to incorporator the DRM for their product and products from those manufactures that are adhere to this technology has to buy.
I apologize for not making the relationship clear - see, DRM is the right to access your content as well as your hardware. The end game is "big brother", or big corporation for that matter, wants to constantly have you logged in to their server to verify who you are, where you are, and what you're doing.
This is considered DRM as well as security. If you can't use your credit card because your smart phone isn't next to it, thats DRM - and if they implement a "3 strikes you're out" and shut down your debit card, well, thats security.
It used to be DRM was just the code on a DVD to stop you from copying it to your computer - but that has changed in recent years. Now Motorola can brick your phone if you tamper with the hardware. Thats security and DRM. This has changed because companies are moving away from DRM protection in the form of requiring special hardware/software to to a more service orientated protection that requires logins.
I am mostly speaking from a consumer's point of view here, and from that point of view, DRM is security.
Wikipedia has a decent write up on DRM for those unfamiliar with the terminology - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_rights_management
"The end game is "big brother", or big corporation for that matter, wants to constantly have you logged in to their server to verify who you are, where you are, and what you're doing."
The question is: Can end-user / customer prevent corporations to behave like that if they told you they are doing that for security reason?
Oh, yes, they do know where you are. For example, Google Flu Trends gathers information about search on terms related to flu or flu-like symtoms. It then comes up with a geographic distribution. It gets the location from users' IP addresses. Google assures the public that "personal search data remains safe and private;" however, it does have that information in its data banks.
Ariella, almost all search engines, location based services and online medias are working in a similar mode. They used to collect customers personal taste, aptitude and information and finally selling to third part for related services. In such cases, how we can believe that our personal preferences are safe with such companies.
@Ariella: They may not sell it because that may be illegal. However, they may throw out targetted advertisements at you using your tastes and preferences. That's how they make money out of the data they collect.
Google has become way too powerful today,almost like a Law unto themselves.
But its us consumers who are primarily to blame-You can always shift to alternative services(just trying tell that to most people & they wil shrug and say -Privacy who cares about online privacy??? Even if it is sold to the highest bidder by Google in the future....)
Michell, you meant if you have the out purchase right also, somebody has to authorize to use it. That’s not right. Once if the product/contents belong to me I have the right to use it without any further permission or approval. If the DRM is like that, then why should we go for an outright purchase, it’s better to go for a rented service?
"So the struggle for the hearts of consumers is now about convincing them which ecosystem, or user interface, is the best for them."
Do the best "ecosystem and interface" mean the ones that provide optimal security and privacy to customers? If so how does this relate to Digital Rights Management?
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