What is unprotected content?

People who know nothing of technology bleat on about how they need to “protect” their intellectual property. They don’t want their content “unprotected” on the Internet because people could steal it.

I’ve got news for these types: people who want to STEAL your content will do so anyway. There’s no way to stop that, and to try would be to disrespect the legitimate patrons who support you. DRM and artificial restrictions don’t work and will not work until you’ve held every person in the world at gun point.

There will always be a way around content protection, and it’s only the legitimate customers who will be hurt over by it. Mainstream DRM schemes seem to be hanging around, despite lawsuits and constant humiliation. Discuss.

This article was posted on September 7, 2006, under Activism.

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3 Comments

  1. Tatey

    September 7, 2006

    I’m an advocate for DRM. I’m tired of pirates stealing the content that rightfully belongs to its respective owners. They invest their capital, skill and labour in an attempt to produce quality products. Why should these fundamental rules be exempted from digital content? The same principles apply and therefore, the same legal mechanisms that protect the IP should be enforced. Microsoft and Sony are only trying to protect these artists/organisations AND the consumer. Seriously, give them a break. Free and Open Source Software/Content will spawn the demise of this industry as we know it, and hundreds of thousands of people will lose their jobs. Think of their children and families that they have to provide for. Microsoft is a respectable company and they’re only looking out for our best interests. Get a haircut, and use a real OS you free-loading, Linux-using nubs.

  2. Ashley

    September 7, 2006

    Copyright law is usually enough to stop commercial “piracy.” DRM is completely inefficient against it. The only thing DRM stops is “casual copying” and legitimate users making backups. I forgot to mention that.

    Oh, and I’m going to smack you next time I see you for dirtying my site. :-P

  3. Pascal Klein

    September 10, 2006

    DRM does not stop ‘piracy’ – it pisses off not only the people who are prevented from copying something to people who are doing nothing ‘illegal’ and even to the artists. What if you were the artist and you wanted to copy the music of one of your CDs to your computer or that of your parents and it had DRM software running on it?

    Tatey: I recommend you look at some of the words and thoughts of Prof. Lawrence Lessig and read Free Culture before supporting DRM, even with those arguments. :)

    Cheers dudes.

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