Michael Jay Lissnerhttps://michaeljaylissner.com/2008-09-15T21:09:43-07:00On DRM and the Darknet2008-09-15T21:09:43-07:00Mike Lissnertag:michaeljaylissner.com,2008-09-15:posts/2008/09/15/on-drm-and-the-darknet/<p>I just read <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcrypto.stanford.edu%2FDRM2002%2Fdarknet5.doc&ei=VTLPSLfdG5m0sQOo1ciIBw&usg=AFQjCNHZkIYjxy6LnWvUSt6kGrZ3SYLMZQ&sig2=hz865qMKNfakTgDi4sUVpA">an
interesting paper</a> written by some Microsoft engineers on the subject of
the futures of darknets and illicit file sharing on the Internet. </p>
<p>Pretty interesting stuff:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>…the darknet will be a competitor to legal commerce. From the point of
view of economic theory, this has profound implications for business strategy:
for example, increased security (e.g. stronger <span class="caps">DRM</span> systems) may act as a
disincentive to legal commerce. Consider an <span class="caps">MP3</span> file sold on a web site: this
costs money, but the purchased object is as useful as a version acquired from
the darknet. However, a securely <span class="caps">DRM</span>-wrapped song is strictly less attractive:
although the industry is striving for flexible licensing rules, customers will
be restricted in their actions if the system is to provide meaningful security.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It seems so obvious, yet…this paper was written several years ago. </p>