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EMI Steps Into CD Protection, Joins Sony BMG

The record industry crackdown on "casual piracy" continues, with EMI the
latest to introduce new CD usage restrictions. In next few weeks, EMI
releases across the United States and United Kingdom will contain
restrictions against ripping and burning, limiting copies for fair use only.
In other words, it will be a bit more difficult to burn your favorite CD for
your friends, with EMI hoping to put an end to an unfettered "rip, mix,
burn" mentality among consumers. That follows a similar move from Sony BMG,
which formally introduced its "secure burning" initiative in late May. Sony
has already run copy protection on a few CDs, including Velvet Relvolver’s
latest album, Contraband. That album sold 7 million copies worldwide without
a consumer backlash, giving the industry confidence to move forward with new
CD protection technologies.

The move towards increased CD protection raises big compatibility issues.
The Sony BMG initiative is based on Windows technology, and the protected
tracks are not transferable to an iPod. That could offer a boost for rivals
such as Yahoo and Napster, while posing potential problems for Apple. But
Apple is far from the victim here, with the company so far refusing to
license its FairPlay rights-management technology. That will certainly
create usability headaches ahead, with many consumers in for a big surprise.
Whether that leads to decreased CD purchases remains to be seen, though
consumers may think twice after experiencing a compatibility problem.
Meanwhile, the pressure on both Sony BMG and EMI to reconcile the new CD
protection technology with the existing popularity of the iPod, while the
impasse will certainly deepen the incompatibility rift between Apple and
Microsoft.

Story by news analyst Adam Shahbaz.

In a message dated 6/16/2005 4:34:42 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time, [e-mail] writes: