Digital rights management (DRM) is the regulation of digital content in the digital environment. Digital rights management is an international agreement between an organization and their users. It defines who can make what use of digital information and how. Digital rights management involves the protection of digital information from being altered or destroyed.
Digital rights management is a part of the information society and the digital age. It is designed to support and promote the development of the digital age by ensuring access, privacy protection and preservation of data. Digital rights management ensures that the access, use and protection of data are secured. Digital rights management is part of the development of the information society, which is an international human right.
Digital technologies have increased dramatically in the last ten years with the explosion of portable electronic devices (PEDs). Digital Rights Management provides businesses and organizations with an affordable and effective way to secure their digital information from misuse by others. Digital Rights Management also protects confidential corporate information, employee files, client records, client communications, confidential business information, trade secrets, and client applications and software. Digital Rights Management serves as a protection and enforcement tool for corporate intellectual property, confidential client communications, client data, and client software. This helps to ensure intellectual property ownership, security, and confidentiality of all electronic devices and programs owned or licensed by a company.
Protection and enforcement of digital rights are considered as a powerful, yet complex process. It requires consistent, proactive, and timely action in compliance with various international standards. There is a growing need for more specialized laws, rules and regulations for electronic data protection. This has led to the emergence of a number of digital rights groups and litigators. These groups work to assure the protection of digital information in the electronic environment.
There are two components of digital rights management – physical and digital – that are interdependent. Physical information security measures can guard against the unauthorized access to electronic data storage and processing equipment, as well as against the transfer of computer related equipment or peripheral devices that have been compromised. It also involves ensuring that all transmission and receiving operations comply with security requirements and that there are no security gaps allowing access to unauthorised persons or networks. Digital human rights monitoring and promotion efforts help to ensure that the implementation of digital rights management practices and procedures comply with the universal standards and human rights conventions. Promoting freedom of expression is another important objective.
For good digital citizens, it is essential to respect the privacy and the right to online expression by those who are most vulnerable, but do not feel secure in their current environments. A good digital citizen also needs to be free to engage in social interaction. The ability to communicate securely and freely is the hallmark of modern democracy. The ability to build and share ideas and information allows us to participate in meaningful dialogue and debate. The promotion of digital rights helps to ensure that these ideals are translated into digital forms, so that they can thrive in the digital age. Allowing people to be involved in the process of digital citizenship and social innovation can strengthen the foundations of a democratic society.
