Ramifications of DRM-free iTunes music

[ftaok]

I just had a thought. I might not be an original thought, but I perused the forum first to see if it had been mentioned...

Anyways, with these DRM-free EMI songs from iTunes, is the user's account name encoded onto the file? If so, if a song shows up on Limewire, torrent, etc., does Apple/EMI have the ability to crack down on that user who let the file out onto the Internet?

I'd say that this is quite a deterrent for the casual user to "share" their files. I would guess that die hard hackers will find a way to rid any file of usernames and such, but the average user won't bother.

So taking this a step forward, do you think we will see Apple put in a method to encode files ripped from CDs with the user's account information, be it their iTS account or computer's account/IP address? Maybe Apple could use this method to appease the MPAA to allow quality ripping of DVDs.

Comments?

 

[icrude]

so basically you're asking if apple will know when YOU take advantage of the situation?

....DONT STEAL MUSIC, AND DON'T GIVE IT AWAY!

 

[gnasher729]

Since you don't intend to make copies of the music you bought and give them to everyone and their dog, you shouldn't really care, right?

Anyway, you will be able to find out easily once DRM free music is available. Speculation at this point is rather pointless.

 

[blueflame]

so basically you're asking if apple will know when YOU take advantage of the situation?

....DONT STEAL MUSIC, AND DON'T GIVE IT AWAY!

I think that is what the original poster was saying. now that it is DRM free, and it seems there is no reason for the average person to just give away the DRM free music without being caught, could apple not use the same philosophy with movies, IE: allow DVD's to be ripped from drm, but tagged to an itunes account.
I like the idea, I think it will happen. I just dont think the people buying the music are really the ones contributing to to mass piracy, its their music they will share it with close friends. Which is fine.

 

[MacAnkka]

They just agreed to take away all the restrictions. Why would you want to add others to replace them (yes, I would consider tagging every file with unique IDs a form of DRM)? If you're going to get rid of DRM, do it all the way. Granted, it wouldn't cause nearly as many problems as the old DRM, but it would raise quite a lot of privacy issues and false alarms (and please, don't try to say "if you've got nothing to hide, you shouldn't worry").

Besides, the only people you would catch by doing that would be the clueless Joe Sixpack that decided to share some of his music in p2p. There are so many of them that there's no point in fighting and suing them, you'll just get more and more bad publicity.

 

[ftaok]

so basically you're asking if apple will know when YOU take advantage of the situation?

....DONT STEAL MUSIC, AND DON'T GIVE IT AWAY!

Quite a leap you took there. Personally, I'll still buy the DRM version cause I'm cheap. And if I did buy the DRM-free ones, I certainly won't give them away on the internet.

Maybe you didn't fully understand my point. If Apple tags these files with the purchasers information, then it'll stop the casual user from putting the files up on P2P programs.

If that works, then perhaps the MPAA will allow Apple to integrate a DVD ripper into iTunes that will convert DVDs for iPods and aTVs. Apple could put in features, such as Chapters, subtitles, etc. that aren't available with Handbrake and other ripping applications.

BTW, I don't appreciate being called a thief/pirate. But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you misunderstood my post.

ft

 

[penguino]

If tagging info in every file gives music labels a comfort zone to ease up on their current DRM approach, I am all for it.

Better a small step in the right direction than staying where we are.

For example, I stream music on an Live365 internet radio station. DRM has made it impossible to use songs from the iTunes Store -- despite the fact that Live365 stations pay composer and performance to ASCAP, BMI etc, promote artists, adhere strictly to usage guidelines, and songs are not downloadable except by purchase.

I'm sure other people have other frustrations with DRM, but the way it limits and controls legitimate usage makes me delighted to see changes -- even if some vestige of DRM remains that allows labels to chase down pirates.

 

[Felldownthewell]

It is a really interesting idea, however I'm not sure if labels would want to use it as it would mean they would need to constantly patrol the P2P programs and torrent sites. I'm sure they already have teams doing that, but the tag approach would require even more of an investment of resources as people would keep on listing the same files over and over.

It also has the potential for abuse- listing your friend's account as a joke, or an enemies as revenge. If someone cracked the tag system, you could even have "prank taggings," where the hacker would list random account numbers and get innocent people in deep legal trouble.