DP1 Graphic: Digital Rights Management

1. Digital Rights Management

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/TECH/ptech/08/18/file.formats/index.html

a.What is a DRM and what does it do?For a more recent article Music Lovers caught in a DRM battle http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5041684.stm

b. Describe how DRM controls what we do with our CDs

c. Why is DRM considered unfair for consumers?Has the program Fairuse4wm enabled DRM technology to be circumvented?

2. Sony’s XCP copyright system to prevent the illegal copying of its CDs has had to stop. read the article. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4430608.stm
a) Explain how the system worked and why it has had to stop? How were consumers compensated?

b) Learn more about file formats and prepare to have a class discuss on the same http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2004/online.music/interactive.html
Prepare for a discussion on Facing the Digital Music – Downloading Music in the link below http://edition.cnn.com/2004/TECH/07/20/digital.download/index.html

c) What have companies like iPod and the new Napster allowed new artist to accomplish?

3. Copyright Laws – How copyright laws hurt culture?http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,48625,00.html
Write brief points for discussion iin class.

a) Why does the author feel copyright laws have hurt the actual artist and helped the corporate side of digital media?

b) What is the DMCA? When was it passed? What is the maximum penalty?