Futurebook, a blog recently started in association with UK-based The Bookseller, jumped right into the thick of a things with an early post, “DRM is not all that”.
Contributed by Nick Harkaway, the post argues that DRM restrictions “unmistakably make ebooks worth less while pushing up the price”. I agree.
There may be instances in which DRM restrictions make business sense for content providers: high-priced titles with small or defined audiences come to mind. But for the average book, restricting access and use appears to drive down price.
An additional note: Cory Doctorow, who writes more often and more forcefully than I do about DRM, recently posted a broad critique of the social consequences of DRM, content filters and intermediary liability. If you’re interested in a fuller understanding of DRM, take a few minutes to read Doctorow’s post.
