Wired News: Pay Once, Share Often With LWDRM

The institute, which developed the MP3 format in the first place and is therefore partly responsible for the digital-rights controversy, has conceived a new technology called Light Weight Digital Rights Management. LWDRM has the potential to end the conflict between the people and Big Music by putting the consumer and the artist first, while not hurting the rights of the industry.

LWDRM gives consumers more freedom. Like any other digital-rights system, it starts with a payment that gives consumers the right to use the song or video clip on their PC. But with LWDRM, from that point on consumers decide what may be done with it. They can copy the clip to another device like an MP3 player or distribute the file to a limited number of friends and relatives.

I’m not a fan of digital rights management in general but I do understand the need to safeguard the rights of the creators. I just don’t think parties on either side of the issue are ready for a compromise.