DRM, for those of you who don’t know, stands for digital rights management. It is technology that limits the copying of digital media like movies, music, e-books, etc. Some people think it’s necessary to preserve the royalty stream for the artist and artistic integrity of the piece; some people think it throttles the spread and availability of art. I will not weigh in on the issue in this post, as I have addressed it before.
No, this post is some advice for the anti-DRM crowd. You should take a lesson from both sides of the abortion battle. When the people who are against abortion started calling themselves, “Pro-Life,” what were abortion proponents supposed to do? Call themselves “Anti-Life?” Of course not. Similarly, the other side won’t win any popularity by calling themselves, “Anti-Choice.”
So the people who believe in the free spreading of media shouldn’t say they’re “Anti-DRM.” That’s saying that you’re against “rights,” and everyone know rights are good, right? Human rights, right of way, Bill of Rights (US), Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Canada).
So the anti-DRM people have to find something to be “pro” about. Like “Pro-Sharing” (weren’t we all taught as children that sharing is good?). Or “Pro-Proliferation of Art.” Or “Pro-Fans.” Those will be tough for the DRM crowd to fight – who wants to be known as “anti” any of those things? AND, they’ll have trouble playing the same game – what could they be “pro?” “Pro-Celine Dion gets more money?” “Pro-You can only enjoy the stuff you paid for in the way we allow?”
Wow – the air sure is thin up on this high horse…
brooXmark - Marketing Consultancy by Stephen Brooks 