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The Role of Digital Rights Management (DRM) Technology in Contemporary

Joseph Straus Munich

International Forum on the Centennial of Chinese Copyright Legislation

Renmin University of China, Beijing October 15, 2010

© J. Straus 2010 -1- Points to Consider

• Copyright & technology – two old companions – dialectic relationship

• Technology promoter of (re)production and distribution of works & challenge of copyright

• Digitization – new quantitative & qualitative challenge

• Legal & technical response

• Where is the right balance of interests: creators & publishers v. users, hardware manufacturers, etc. → social progress?

© J. Straus 2010 -2- Copyright & Technology – Two Old Companions

China, the Technological Frontrunner

• 105 AD - Lun Cai invents paper manufacturing technique

• 1041 AD – Sheng Bi invents movable type printing

• No legal impact – due to social/intellectual environment [no revolution] and due fragmented to agricultural economy

[Chao Xu]

© J. Straus 2010 -3- Copyright & Technology – Two Old Companions

Europe – the Late(r) Commer

• 1439 – Johannes Gutenberg invents movable type printing

• 1469 – Johann von Speyer granted printing privilege by the city of Venice

• Etching technique (copper engraving) invented – privileges for reproduction granted (Albrecht Dürer)

• 15th-17th Century – numerous such privileges granted in Social Revolution (Renaissance, humanism, reformation) & technology & market → protection against copying → printers & publishers, i.e. industry prime beneficiary

• Idea of protecting authors –18th Century child

© J. Straus 2010 -4- Technology Promoter of (Re)Production and Distribution of Works & Challenge for Copyright

Technology Law

• Phonographs & gramophones → Creation of neighbouring rights • Cinematography → Rome Convention 1961 • & television → Phonogram Convention 1971 • Cable & Convention 1974 • Reprography → TRIPS 1994 • Recording → New approaches: Limitation of • programs exclusive rights & statutory licenses & fair remuneration & proceeds collected and distributed by collecting societies © J. Straus 2010 -5- However

Limitations and Exclusions Allowed Only if Confined to

• Certain special cases which

• Do not conflict with a normal exploitation of the work and

• Do not unreasonably prejudice the legitimate interests of the right holder

[Art. 9 (2) BC, Art. 13 TRIPS]

© J. Straus 2010 -6- Digitization – New Quantitative & Qualitative Challenge

Technology

• 1980s – Compact Disc (CD) • 1990s – Digital Disc/Digital Versatile Disc (DVD: DVD- ROM; DVD-R; DVD+R; DVD-RW; DVD-RAM)

• Digital technology &

• Digital technology & www 2.0 (broadband communication)

→ creation of & editing of digital content

• Online distribution of digital works

© J. Straus 2010 -7- Digitization – New Quantitative & Qualitative Challenge

Consequences

• Analog works: – Production & storage & distribution of physical carriers necessary and costly – Distribution of illegal copies huge logistic problem

• Digital works – Cheap and easy copying & distribution of commercially valuable digital content without physical carrier – CD & DVD → PC → internet → distribution to third parties – File-sharing network → exchange of files with, e.g. music works – File-sharing networks based on “p2p” software

© J. Straus 2010 -8- Digitization – New Quantitative & Qualitative Challenge

DRM-Technology/TPM as Response

• “The answer to the machine is in the machine” Clarck 1996

• DRM – digitally controlled administration of rights, i.e. enforcement of rights in digital environment by technological means – e.g. , scrambling or other transformation of the work or other subject-matter or a copy control mechanism - [technical protection measures TPM]

• Allows copyright owners to control the way consumers access and use digital works – also following the delivery

• Functions as electronic licensing system

© J. Straus 2010 -9- Digitization – New Quantitative & Qualitative Challenge

DRM’s Impact

• Seen as business enablers for digital distribution of content and drivers for the variety of new business models that consumers may want OECD

• DRM may facilitate the creation and dissemination of creative works

• By protecting digital works from unauthorized downloading, viewing and possible creation of derivative works – potential encouragement for the content right holder to make content available for digitization and subsequent digital sale OECD

© J. Straus 2010 -10- Digitization – New Quantitative & Qualitative Challenge

DRM Technologies – Platform Technologies

• Windows media DRM → provides secure delivery of audio/video content over an IP network to a PC/other playback device → distributer can control how content used

• OMA DRM → implemented in over 550 portable phone models → for controlling cell phone ring tones & access to media files such as video

• Methods bypassing DRM → analog loopback transformation (), decryption keys, , watermarks removal, etc.

© J. Straus 2010 -11- Digitization – New Quantitative & Qualitative Challenge

DRM – Patented Technology: EP 1 329 791 as Example

• A method for controlling distribution and use of digital works, the method comprising the steps of: – creating usage rights from a usage rights grammar, each of said usage rights defining a specific instance of how a digital work may be used or distributed; – associating said usage rights with a digital work; – storing said digital work and its associated usage rights in a first repository, said first repository having a server mode of operation for enabling said first repository to grant or deny requests from other repositories to access digital works according to usage rights and said first repository having a requester mode of operation for enabling said first repository to request access to digital works;

© J. Straus 2010 -12- Digitization – New Quantitative & Qualitative Challenge

DRM – Patented Technology: EP 1 329 791 as Example

– a second repository, having a requester mode of operation for enabling said second repository to request access to digital works, initiating a request to access said digital work in said first repository, said request specifying a transport usage right, said transport usage right being a right to copy, a right to transfer or a right to loan;

– the first repository determining if said specified transport usage right is associated with said digital work;

© J. Straus 2010 -13- Digitization – New Quantitative & Qualitative Challenge

EP 1 329 791

© J. Straus 2010 -14- Consequences

Technology Law

• Digitization → WCT (Art. 11, 12) 1996 • DRM/TPM → WPPT (Art. 18, 19) 1996 • Circumventing → DMCA (17 U.S.C. §§ 1201,1202) 1998 • Technologies → EUCD (Art. 6, 7) 2001 → ChCA (Art. 47 [48] (6), (7)) 2001 → GCA (Sections 95a, 95b) 2003 → ChRPRCIN (Art. 4, 5, 12 26) 2006

© J. Straus 2010 -15- Minimum Standard – Common Denominator

Art. 11 WCT & Art. 18 WPPT

• Provide adequate legal protection & effective legal remedies

• Against the circumvention of effective technological means

• Used by authors in connection with the exercise of their rights under WCT & BC

• Restricting acts with respect of their works

• Not authorized by the authors concerned or

• Permitted by law

© J. Straus 2010 -16- Implementation at Regional/National Level of PCT/WTPPT Standards

Art. 6 (2) EUCD Sec. 95a GCA

• Circumvention of effective TPMs prohibited • By deliberate or negligent acts, including • Preparatory acts of: manufacture, import, distribution, sale, rental, advertisement for sale or rental or possession of – devices, products or components or the provision of services which are – promoted, advertised or marketed for the purpose of circumvention of or – have only a limited commercial significant purpose or use other than to circumvent – are primarily designed, produced, adapted or performed for enabling or facilitating the circumvention of any effective TPMs

© J. Straus 2010 -17- Minimum Standard – Common Denominator

Art. 48(6) ChCA

• Prohibit circumvention of effective, valid and defensive TPMs*

• If acts done deliberately

• Preparatory acts, limited to information and network communication (i.e. Internet dissemination)

• Not covered: Rental, advertisement for sale or rental, or possession for commercial purposes

* Offensive TPM not protected – KV300L++ case – Jiangmin NewTech, Ltd.

© J. Straus 2010 -18- Exception to the Prohibition of Circumvention of TPM

Art. 6 (4) EUCD

• Member states shall take appropriate measures – to ensure that right holders make available to the beneficiary of an exception or limitation to their exclusive rights means of benefiting from that exception or limitation

– to the extent necessary to benefit from that exception/limitation, and

– When the beneficiary has legal access to the protected work

© J. Straus 2010 -19- Exception to the Prohibition of Circumvention of TPM

Sec. 95b GCA – Enforcement of Restricting Provisions

• Right holders employing TPM obliged – to provide the beneficiaries of exclusions/limitations – with the means necessary to be able to make the required use – provided they have lawful access to the work – administrators of justice & public safety, handicapped persons, collections for use in churches and schools; school broadcast; for teaching and research of the public – beneficiaries have the right to act against violators of this obligations • Applicable only to off-line access, not to works made available to the public online based on contract

© J. Straus 2010 -20- Exception to the Prohibition of Circumvention of TPM

Article 12 RPRCIN

• TPM protecting the right of communication through information network maybe avoided

• To provide certain beneficiaries of exclusions with their rights:

– To a small number of people engaged in teaching or scientific research for the purpose of teaching or scientific research – in case of published work, performance or audio-visual product

– Not for profit purposes to the blind in case of published written works in a unique way as particularly perceptible by the blind

– State organs exercising functions in administrative and judicial procedures

– Carrying out any testing on the computer as well as its system or the safety performance of the network through the information network

© J. Straus 2010 -21- Concerns/Challenges

• Users/buyers – not adequately informed on DRM use/licensing conditions • Beneficiaries of exceptions/limitations not adequately enabled to take advantage of their entitlement – In China – as a matter of fact not really in a position to effectively avoid TPM – In Europe – to in practice act against violaters – costs, risks, etc. • DRM – in practice preventing also access to works in public domain • Licensing conditions not always in line, e.g. with competition law

© J. Straus 2010 -22- Digitization – New Quantitative & Qualitative Challenge

Economic Impact on Sound Recording Industry

• 1999 – World turnover US $ 40 Billion

• 2009 – World turnover US $ 25 Billion

Bundesverband der Musikindustrie

© J. Straus 2010 -23- Digitization – New Quantitative & Qualitative Challenge

Overall Development of Copyright Industries

Stephen E. Siwek © J. Straus 2010 -24- Summary

• DRM – an indispensible facilitator for exploitation of digital works

• WCT/WPPT & EU & PR China legislation – not perfect but successfully serving needs of creators and users

• For a better balance of interests:

– Rules on transparent and adequate upfront information on DRM conditions of users should be adopted

– DRM licensing conditions should be monitored (regulated?)

– To satisfy justified needs of beneficiaries of exceptions – technical possibilities should be better used – harmonized standards established & imposed on DRM/TPM users

© J. Straus 2010 -25- Thank you!

谢谢大家听我的发言!

© J. Straus 2010 -26-