There is an alternative to DRM

[Nicholas]

It is rumoured that Google is going to issue a proprietary Digital
Rights Management (DRM) to protect the video content it plans to
distribute [1][2][3][4]. I don't know if this is true however I would
like to broaden the discussion.

I would like to argue here that there is an alternative to DRM [5] and
that Google is in the ideal position to pursue this route.

In place of technical protection measures that try to lock up content
and limit distribution, with all the inherent problems of compatibility
between competing systems and central control of consumer's
consumption, I propose a distributed rights management system that
clearly defines and then regulates the rights of all parties involved
[6]. Regulated rights without central control, where users are free to
consume the content when and where they want, common access to the
content for education and social benefit is assured, and private
information is protected.

Anyone for discussing these possibilities?

Links and references:

[1]
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB113643814564838423-lMyQjAxMDE2MzA2NTQwMzU4Wj.html
[2] http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/08/google_drm_question/
[3] http://weblog.infoworld.com/techwatch/archives/004923.html
[4] http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=2350
[5] http://www.indicare.org/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=133
[6]
http://www.omidyar.net/group/intellectual-contributions/ws/DIPR%20Introduction/

http://www.commonrights.com/

[Nicholas]

An earlier post I had made on this subject to another group:

With the steady progression of Google Print [1] and other services such
as Google Video that are touching on the copyrights [2] of authors,
artists, and Google users generally do people think it is time for
Google to take proactive steps to improve the on-line use and status of
intellectual property? Steps that would maintain the social balance
between providing access to information and content whilst still
providing a means to reward the artists and authors.

It appears to me that the Google people have the desire to open up the
market in copyrighted materials can we help them to do it right?

To start, Bill Thompson has a few suggestions [3]

Links:

[1] http://print.google.com/
[2]
http://groups.google.com/group/Google-Problems/browse_thread/thread/a...
[3] http://p2pnet.net/story/6592

[Nicholas]

Another earlier post [2]:

When 'Vint Cerf speaks out on net neutrality' [1] to Congress on the
Google blog he says:

"The Internet is based on a layered, end-to-end model that allows
people at each level of the network to innovate free of any central
control. By placing intelligence at the edges rather than control in
the middle of the network, the Internet has created a platform for
innovation."

Google should be working towards end-to-end rights management for
Intellectual Property and hence avoid the problems of central control
of copyright by DRM systems. One idea on how this could be achieved can
be found here:
http://www.indicare.org/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=133

Links:

[1]
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2005/11/vint-cerf-speaks-out-on-net-ne...

[2]
http://groups.google.com/group/Google-Problems/browse_thread/thread/834ffa6aaec9544e/82d9818c483ee04d#82d9818c483ee04d

[Nicholas]

The correct link for the Vint Cerf blog post above is:

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2005/11/vint-cerf-speaks-out-on-net-neutrality.html

[Nicholas]

And, another earlier post:

And, Librarian James Hilton has to defend the project:

"We continue to be enthusiastic about our partnership with Google,
and we are confident that this project complies with copyright law. The
overarching purpose of copyright law is to promote progress in society.
In doing so, it is always a balancing act between the limited rights of
the author and the rights of the public." [1]

Could Google be in a position to help define new rights to balance the
needs of society and artists?

[1]
http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2005abc/september2005abc/authorgoogle.htm

[Nicholas]

As reported by David Pogue in the Times [1]:-

"Google is surely aware of these limitations and has plans to address
them. One aspect of Google Video, however, will not be so easily
changed: its copy-protection scheme, a new one that Google wrote
itself. You can't burn the shows to a CD or DVD, and can't play them
back on portable players like iPods. In fact, most of the TV shows
don't play back at all without an active Internet connection, which,
for most people, also rules out laptop playback on planes, trains and
automobiles. This is sickening news for anyone who thought that two
incompatible copy-protection schemes - Apple's and Microsoft's - were
complex and sticky enough already. And compared with the ABC and NBC
shows available on the iTunes store, the value of the CBS shows looks
even worse."

Is this the worst case scenario?

Why not use 'Rights Office' [2] technology that would allow users to
play their purchased movies when and where they want and at the same
time identify all copies of the content?

By the way Google Video can be found here: http://video.google.com/

[1]
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/19/technology/circuits/19pogue.html?pagewanted=1&th&emc=th
[2) http://www.indicare.org/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=133

[Nicholas]

And, Ed Felten on Freedom to Tinker [1] points out the privacy issues
and he says:

"It's high time for Google to figure out that it is one or two
privacy disasters away from becoming just another Internet company. The
time is now for Google to become a privacy leader. Fixing the privacy
issues in its video DRM would be a small step toward that goal."

[1] http://www.freedom-to-tinker.com/?p=956

[Nicholas]

Repositorium [1] is also concerned about proprietary DRM:

"I wonder if Google visionaires think that the future of television
will rely on a proprietary DRM system used for tying video content with
google services? Then consumers will have the choice between
Microsoft-TV (Windows Media), Apple-TV (Apple DRM), Google-TV (Google
DRM) and for each Service Provider they will need their own media
player or set-top box (e.g. google PC, Microsoft handset, Apple
i-pod)."

"In my opinion the Google founders should know better." Martin says.

[1] http://camorra.org/swann/2006/01/09/google-drm/

[Nicholas]

Links to Google's Blog:

Introduction to Google Video store, where you can rent or buy:

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/01/new-year-for-google-video.html

Displaying your own stuff with Video Uploader:

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2005/06/google-video-now-with-video_27.html

More video to watch!

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2005/10/more-video-to-watch.html

Why not give all these users, comercial and private, a rights system to
identify their content and at the same time give the consumers a right
to use it without the need for restrictive DRM?

See: http://www.indicare.org/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=133

[Nicholas]

And a link Google's blog of Google Print:

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2005/10/why-we-believe-in-google-print.html

Where they say:

"We look forward to the day that the program's opponents marvel at the
fact that they actually tried to stop an innovation that, by making
books as easy to find as web pages, brought their works to the
attention of a vast new global audience."

And we might marvel at the way Google introduced a new non-DRM rights
management system that allows all users to register their rights to
trade and use products.