DRM takes two further steps

Digital Rights Management become the hot topic for distributors

4 May 2007 14:45 GMT / By Ryan Haynes

Warner has signed a deal with MySpace to begin offering music to it’s members on the social networking site - but with DRM intact.

Many expected Warner to follow EMI's move with Apple to offer DRM-free downloads; however the record company has decided to offer its music in the copy-protected version on Microsoft's Windows Media format.

MySpace uses Snocap who provides the download infrastructure on the site and although small labels and individual artists sold music online directly - this new deal means a major record label will support the social networking phenomenon. MySpace users are used to downloading MP3 so this will be an interesting and restrictive move by News Corp.

While DRM was an easy issue for MySpace, the HD DVD row with Digg deepened this week. The AACS Protection Body has said that bloggers crossed the line when they published the HD DVD crack code.

Over 700,000 pages have published the key to date.

The key code has now been revoked and the AACS plan to take the illegal activity further.