Digital rights management (DRM) is some combination of hardware and software intended to restrict how digital media can be used. The goal is to protect the rights of the copyright holder. For example, DRM might prevent a user from playing a song on a device other than the one it was purchased on—​or from sharing that song with a friend. Unfortunately, many attempts at DRM were easily circumvented, and had a tendency to inconvenience consumers. And it has been difficult to create digital protection approaches that align well with our usual expectations about how we can use content that we have purchased.

Credits: Talking: Geoffrey Challen (Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo). Producing: Greg Bunyea (Undergraduate, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo).

Part of the https://www.internetclass.org online internet course. A blue Systems Research Group (https://www.bluegroup.systems) production.