DRM Protection for Music Downloads

By Dan Hope

DRM stands for Digital Rights Management and is a term that can mean several different things. The most basic explanation is that DRM protects creative works from being duplicated. Manufacturers and producers in the music industry rely heavily on DRM to protect their revenue stream, while consumers detest DRM because it causes problems.

The main problem for consumers isn’t the fact that they want to illegally duplicate MP3 downloads. In fact, most consumers hate DRM because it makes songs incompatible with some MP3 players. Most of the major producers have created their own DRM codes, none of which are compatible with all MP3 players. Add to that the fact that various MP3 download services also use completely different DRM protection and the prospect of listening to MP3s can actually be a very frustrating experience.

As a result, people are restricted to a certain MP3 player by the MP3 download service they use, or vice versa. If somebody wants to use the Apple iTunes Music Store, they are forced to use the iPod MP3 player because it can read Apple’s FairPlay DRM system. Conversely, a person who wants to get a Microsoft Zune can’t use the iTunes Music Store. In fact, in a move that makes the DRM conundrum even worse, Microsoft made the Zune incompatible with its own PlaysForSure DRM system, making it impossible to use with Napster and many other music subscription services.

Sony is another company notorious for causing problems through DRM restrictions. In 2005, they released music CDs with DRM restrictions like many companies, but the CDs also contained malicious software, called a rootkit, that compromised consumer computer security.

These compatibility issues have created many headaches for consumers and have put serious pressure on record companies to change the way they sell music. As a result, none of the companies put DRM restrictions on CDs anymore; but the DRM debate is still raging in the MP3 download arena.

Many people want a system that is compatible with all subscription services and MP3 players, while most demand that record companies abolish DRM practices completely. This doesn’t appear to be a possibility in the near future since record companies are still struggling to adapt to the new practices and demographics of the MP3 download industry.

Since the record companies haven’t provided a solution to the compatibility problem, many consumers have turned to programs and services that remove DRM restrictions from files or convert them to formats that will work with their MP3 players. DRM removal is strictly illegal according to the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, although several software developers have claimed to create programs that perform DRM removal legally. Our review of Audio Converter Software includes several programs like this.

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