seanpm2001 / DRM

A database of reasons why DRM (Digital Restrictive Measures/Digital Restrictions Management/"Digital Rights Management") is bad.

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DRM

What is DRM

Seanpm2001 / unknown definition

I am not sure whether my definition has already been said, but I feel it works best: DRM (Digital Restrictive Measures) I feel that the FSFs definition of "Digital Restrictions Management" doesn't work, as with DRM, you are not the one managing the DRM, the DRM is managing you. I agree with all other points made, just not this wording.

Wikipedia

DRM is the management of legal access to digital content. Various tools or technological protection measures (TPM) such as access control technologies can restrict the use of proprietary hardware and copyrighted works. DRM technologies govern the use, modification, and distribution of copyrighted works (such as software and multimedia content), as well as systems that enforce these policies within devices.

Laws in many countries criminalize the circumvention of DRM, communication about such circumvention, and the creation and distribution of tools used for such circumvention.

Free Software Foundation (FSF) / Electronic Frontiers Foundation (EFF) definition

DRM: Digital Restrictions Management

General public definition

DRM: Digital Rights Management

Problems with DRM

I have written multiple articles on the problems of DRM, and you can find many more online. I made this repository to link to them and platform them:

• Its-time-to-cut-WideVine-DRM - An article on why Googles WideVine DRM should not be used.
• DRM (current article)
• "Awesome" DRM - A list of DRM schemes, and why they are bad. Note that DRM is never awesome, and does not belong in an actual awesome list.

Bad for the environment

Due to unnecessary resource consumption and battery drain caused by DRM, DRM is bad for the environment. In some cases, it can be worse than cryptominers.

Proprietary

All DRM is proprietary. Proprietary software (closed source software) is in and of itself malware, and you cannot trust what DRM does, as there is no way to verify what it is doing exactly.

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File info

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File type: Markdown (*.md *.mkd *.mdown *.markdown)

File version: 1 (2022, Saturday, August 13th at 9:12 pm PST)

Line count (including blank lines and compiler line): 96

Current article language: English (EN_USA) / Markdown (CommonMark) / HTML5 (HyperText Markup Language 5.3)

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All times are UTC-7 (PDT/Pacific Time) (Please also account for DST (Daylight Savings Time) for older/newer entries up until it is abolished/no longer followed)

Note that on 2022, Sunday, March 13th at 2:00 am PST, the time jumped ahead 1 hour to 3:00 am.

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File history

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Version 1 (2022, Saturday, August 13th at 9:12 pm PST)

This version was made by: @seanpm2001

Changes:

• Started the file
• Added the title section
• Added the What is DRM section
• • Added the Seanpm2001/Unknown definition subsection
• • Added the `FSF/EFF definition" subsection
• • Added the General public definition subsection
• Added the Problems with DRM section
• • Added the Bad for the environment subsection
• • Added the Proprietary subsection
• Added the file info section
• Added the file history section
• No other changes in version 1

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