Digital rights management
Also known as: DRM
Digital rights management or DRM is the management and associated techniques to restrict the viewing and distribution of digital media to uses authorized by creators and publishers. DRM is a way to stop copyright infringement and illegal distribution of creative works. Photos, videos, music, computer games and e-books are some examples of media where DRM can be applied.
Within DRM, software ensures that only the actions authorized by the creator or distributor can be performed with a file. In practice, this digital rights management amounts to copy protection, and the technique can be built into operating systems as well as programs to view or play media.
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Criticism of digital rights management focuses mainly on the fact that users' rights are often too restricted. For example, digital products can only be viewed or used on devices that support the DRM version used. The technology also ignores various exceptions within copyright law, the right to make home copies and the possible expiration of copyright in the future.
According to critics, DRM is not about rights but about imposing restrictions. The acronym is also explained as digital restrictions management.
