The piece of software, which is being distributed anonymously on-line, aims to override Microsoft’s digital rights management (DRM) software. The DRM software allows a content owner such as a record label to set rules on how the content can be used. Restrictions can be placed on the number of times a song could be played, for example, or specify that the song cannot be transferred to a particular type of technology such as an MP3 or recordable CD.
Microsoft has presented its media protection system as a core attraction of the Windows Media file format and has spent considerable time and effort in promoting the system to music labels and Hollywood studios in the hope that it will become their preferred route for content distribution.
“Beale Screamer”, has said the motive behind his actions is to stop the use of copyright to unjustifiably restrict consumer enjoyment and use of a product:
“I think the idea of limited time, full length previews, or time-limited internet based rentals is excellent, If DRM was only used for this…I would not have taken the effort to break the scheme. What is bad is the use of DRM to restrict the traditional form of music sale. When I buy a piece of music I expect my traditional fair use rights to the material. I should be able to take that content, copy it onto all my computers at home, my laptop, my portable MP3 player… basically anything I use to listen to the music that I have purchased.”
The effect of the release of “Beale Screamer’s” software has been played down by Microsoft. The software has limitations in that it works only on the most recent version of Microsoft’s DRM technology with which a fairly small amount of content has been encoded. Moreover, in order for the software to be effective, a computer user must already have a valid licence or digital permission slip to listen to the song.
However, in a call to other programmers to take up battle against copyright protectors, “Beale Screamer” says: “You know that Microsoft is going to make some changes that will render my software useless, you’ve got the source code, so use that as a starting point to change with them.”