Book: A Futurist's Manifesto

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Analyzing the Business Case for DRM (Kirk Biglione)

Kirk Biglione is a seasoned digital media professional specializing in web publishing systems, social and search strategies, and user experience. Kirk frequently speaks on topics related to digital media and is a cofounder of Medialoper. You can find Kirk on Twitter at: @kirkbiglione.

The publishing industry’s rapid transition from physical to digital products has been accompanied by a host of hotly debated issues. From ebook pricing to author royalties to release windows, it seems that every aspect of the publishing business is being reconsidered and reinvented in the digital era.

No issue has been more contentious than the debate surrounding the use of Digital Rights Management (DRM)^[1] technology. The discussion surrounding DRM has been dominated by emotional and hyperbolic rhetoric on both sides of the debate. On one hand, publishers insist they can’t release ebooks without some form of copy protection. On the other hand, consumers are said to hate any form of restriction on legitimately purchased media.

Meanwhile, a growing number of mostly independent publishers are doing the unthinkable: releasing ebooks without any form of copy restriction. Are these publishers completely oblivious to the obvious problem of digital piracy? Or are they taking a calculated risk that will ultimately benefit their business?

Traditionally the issues of DRM and copy restriction have been framed as a moral debate pitting IP rightsholders ...