Why DRM Music is a Problem for Music Lovers

Many people who are in the recording industry consider DRM technology to be the best option for limiting users who download music. While there is no denying that DRM technology goes a long way towards preventing people from illegally sharing music there are some major drawbacks to it which have caused many people to consider the technology unfair. In fact, many people who regularly download music legally feel that the DRM technology takes away their rights given to them by copyright laws. DRM technology itself is software which is attached to the audio files which is designed to prevent people from using the purchased music in ways not accepted by the company selling the music.

People who use music services are the most frequently affected by the policies which surround DRM technology. These subscription services often allow individuals to download as many songs as they want for a flat rate monthly fee. As long as their service remains active in theory the music will continue to work. The problem is in the way which is required to prove that the subscription is still active. Users who utilize a subscription service to download music and transfer it to their portable mp3 players can find that if they don't hook their mp3 players up to their computer at least once a month the music they have on it may in fact cease functioning. Some people may just be unable to hook their mp3 player up to their computer for some reason and could easily loose access to their legally purchased music until they can.

Another area where DRM technology has lead to large problems both for users and for the companies offering the music is when a company utilizing DRM technology goes out of business. This can often lead to songs which were legally purchased ceasing to work for the user or in the best case scenario only working on the computer the music was purchased on. Some companies have refunded users for these situations.

Another area where DRM has become very unpopular is in regards to CD's. It is rather difficult to burn a DRM protected audio file to a CD. While it can be done it is difficult because DRM aims to prevent this practice. The problem for many users who have legally purchased the music file is that they are then unable to listen to their music in locations where they may not have easy access to an mp3 player. A good example of this would be in a car which lacks an auxiliary port for connecting an mp3 player or other audio device. Some publishers have taken the stance that people in these situations should buy the CD but many people have taken to buying music online because it allows them to pay strictly for the music they want instead of tying them into a whole CD just to get one or two songs they may wish to have.

Due to the problems which have consistently been associated with DRM technology a number of the online music retailers have begun releasing music without DRM. They have taken to using less restrictive security measures which are still able to help prevent theft but which do not limit the owners so heavily. This is considered risky by some because it opens it up for easier illegal file sharing but most companies view this as a worthwhile risk in order to improve customer relations.

Article Source: http://www.avidarticles.com

Susan Reynolds is a content coordinator for Free Music Downloads portal. For more information visit: www.musicdownload3mp.com

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