Forensic Watermarks in Mobile Devices
The most common way to deter illegal distribution of music and movies is through digital rights management technology (DRM): instructions embedded in the files that limit their use. But, as video content shows up on more and more cell phones, content providers are looking for new ways to curb illegal distribution. Researchers at Cinea, are working on a system that embeds a unique digital signature called a forensic watermark into a video after it's downloaded. The watermark contains bits of data, hidden from view, that allow content providers to trace a video back to the phone or device on which it was downloaded. The goals are to deter people from widely distributing a downloaded video and to have a method of finding individuals who illegally share video. Securing forensic watermarks is still an active area of research, and perfecting the technology is still a few years out. Within the next decade, technology can change the way content providers protect their digital goods and the way people share and use them. http://www.technologyreview.com/business/17879/page2/