Could DRM's true purpose really be to prevent legal forms of innovation?

[app103]

Ian Hickson, the googler who is overseeing the HTML5 standard at the W3C, has written a surprisingly frank piece on the role of DRM. As he spells out in detail, the point of DRM isn't to stop illegal copying, it's to stop legal forms of innovation from taking place. He shows that companies that deploy DRM do so in order to prevent individuals, groups and companies from innovating in ways that disrupt their profitability

http://boingboing.net/2013/03/20/html5s-overseer-says-drms.html

And Ian Hickson's essay: https://plus.google.com/107429617152575897589/posts/iPmatxBYuj2

[40hz]

Well what a surprise! Can you believe it?

(@app - Seriously...thx for finding that. I was hoping somebody directly involved in the standard itself would stand up to Tim Berners-Lee's earlier endorsement for incorporating DRM capabilities into HTML5.)

[wraith808]

That's really cool... thanks for finding that app!

[Tinman57]

Google engineer: DRM has nothing to do with piracy

A Google engineer claims that DRM is not about thwarting piracy, but giving content providers control over software and hardware providers.

In a Google+ conversation, Google engineer Ian Hickson argues that digital rights management (DRM), often found embedded within products including DVDs and eBooks to prevent unauthorized copying or use, is not in place to protect firms from the prevalence of piracy.

Instead, Hickson argues that this belief is based on "faulty logic," and it is actually used as a tool to give content providers power over playback device manufacturers, as distributors cannot legally distribute copyrighted material without permission from the content provider. So, those who offer media, including games and film, gain leverage in how the files can be used and shared, as well as the means to tap into additional revenue streams.

http://www.zdnet.com/google-engineer-drm-has-nothing-to-do-with-piracy-7000012886