Digital Rights Management
See also Technological Protection Measures
Digital Rights Management or DRM is the term given to various technologies used to control access to digital works or devices, to protect copyright in those works or the works used on the devices. For example, the iTunes store incorporates DRM into its music, so that any music purchased from iTunes can be downloaded to a PC, burnt to a CD or downloaded to an iPod, but not downloaded and played on a MP3 player.
Digital Rights Management is a controversial issue as copyright owners see it as a way to protect their works from unauthorised copying or use; but in some cases DRM can also prevent users of copyright material from using material in ways which are permitted by exceptions in the Copyright Act such as Fair Dealing, the Statutory Licences or the provisions for Personal Use.