Unesco Says Adding DRM To HTML Is A Very Bad Idea

from the when-unesco-is-against-you... dept

For years now, we've written about the years-long effort, led by the MPAA and others, to put DRM directly into the standard for HTML5 (via "Encrypted Media Extensions" or EME) which continues to move forward with Tim Berners-Lee acting as if there's nothing that can be done about it. It appears that not everyone agrees. Unesco, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has come out strongly against adding DRM to HTML5 in a letter sent to Tim Berners-Lee (found via Boing Boing).

... should Internet browsers become configured to work with EME to act as a framed gateway rather than serving as intrinsically open portals, there could be risks to Rights, to Openness and Accessibility.

Primarily, there is the issue of the Right to seek and receive information. To date, most filtering and blocking of content has been done at the level of the network, whereas the risk now is that this capacity could also become technically effective at the level of the browser. With standardized EME incorporated in the browser, a level of control would cascade to the user interface level. This could possibly undercut the use of circumvention tools to access content that is illegitimately restricted.

While a case can be made for exceptional limitations on accessing certain content, as per international human rights standards such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the same human rights standards are clear that this is should never be a default setting. Unfortunately, many instances of limitation of access are not legitimate in international standards as they do not meet the criteria of legality, necessity and proportionality, and legitimate purpose, and it would be regrettable if standardized EME could end up reinforcing this unfortunate situation.

One would hope that when even organizations like Unesco are speaking up, that the W3C would take a step back from the ledge and reconsider its position.

Filed Under: drm, eme, free speech, human rights
Companies: unesco, w3c