LockLizard Digital Rights Management Blog
DRM, copy control, IPR, intellectual property protection
Digital Rights Management, IPR and copy control

When in doubt – shoot the messenger!

Why is it that people blame DRM for enforcing the controls it said it would? If you buy a book in English why do you think you should be able to read it in Spanish? What you buy is what you get.<< MORE >>

Web 2.0 - What’s wrong with using what you know?

There is a lot of buzz around Web 2.0 technology and what it can offer. But is sharing information always a good thing and what controls are in place to limit the use of your information?<< MORE >>

Does the death of music DRM mean the death of DRM itself?

There have been many calls to assign DRM to the dustbin following the spate of music site failures where DRM has been used to protect music downloads. However, the fact of DRM tools provides an abiding proof that they truly are the source of specific information, and that can help publishers obtain prosecution of unreasonable and irresponsible pirates on the one hand, and avoid prosecution for things they never did publish, on the other. DRM therefore looks set to stay.<< MORE >>

Does organized piracy contribute to better markets?

Is piracy bad for DRM? Is it possible that bad pricing practises are what cause piracy rather than a need to protect intellectual property? This blog examines the issues.<< MORE >>

Getting too casual with information

Why should we believe what Governments and big industry when they talk about Copyright and similar protections when they fail miserably to protect our own data?<< MORE >>

The case for Digital Rights Management

At IPR conferences today DRM is portrayed as unnecessary, but this stance ignores the plain fact that without DRM there is no IPR control. This is not just a problem for the music and film industries but for every commercial company and government.<< MORE >>

National ID law without debate – achieving the unacceptable by the unscrupulous?

The capture and use of your personal identity information is of service to both governments and identity thieves. Should there be proper and informed debate before compulsory computer identities are enforced on honest citizens? Is it constitutionally correct to introduce a fundamental change in the relationship between the federal authorities and citizens by the back door?<< MORE >>

DRM is dead – Long live DRM!

So Amazon and Sony say DRM is dead - or are they? What is the reality?<< MORE >>

A brand new Whitehall farce?

If organizations behave as if they are either outside or above the law, who or what is the Data Protection Act actually protecting?<< MORE >>

Protecting personal data – lessons learned

Data protection law like copyright law is only really for the rich and famous. If you want to protect your information you need your own measures – not the law.<< MORE >>

Your personal data are safe with your government? But maybe not in the UK.

Although encryption and DRM solutions are readily available over the Internet, it is clear that at least the UK Government does not use them and as a result has put 25 million people's personal data at risk.<< MORE >>

To DRM or not to DRM – that is not the question!

IPR owners face an unfortunate challenge. If they fail to take sensible steps to protect what they own then it promptly becomes the property of everybody. But have they realised that doing nothing does not step up to the plate?<< MORE >>

Service Oriented Security – Fact or Fable?

The IT industry is busily announcing that you can buy service orientated security (SOS) as a bolt-on to applications. Is this a realistic approach, especially when security usually has to be deeply integrated into applications?<< MORE >>

Does DRM cross the boundaries of privacy?

DRM is supposed to be about an IPR owner ensuring they can control the right to copy (reproduce) their information. But does this right mean that they can make demands that compromise the privacy of the users of their information?<< MORE >>

What price is a fair price?

Who sets the fair price for a product - the purchaser, the buyer or the seller? Is DRM part of the bargaining process?<< MORE >>

European privacy laws lose focus?

Europe claims to be the home of data protection but are financial regulators more powerful?<< MORE >>

New lunacy on the patent front?

The patent business is now so crazy people are suing you for not using their products. Is this now the time for all of us to just pack up our bags and go home?<< MORE >>

The USA embraces a new era in software patents

There is a sea change in attitude over patents being enforced outside of the US (or not as the case may be). Patent holders may be pushed back into using Copyright in order to protect their IPR.<< MORE >>

DRM technology and Copyright law

In some communities the idea that I can make copies implies a legal right. Is this correct? What is the value of copyright legislation if a creator's IPR is not recognized and rewarded.<< MORE >>

HTML protection and the zero footprint fantasy

Some people claim either that you can download all your security with the object you are securing or they need a zero footprint. The reality is that it can't be done. We identify obvious flaws in common HTML Security approaches.<< MORE >>