Digital watermarks are about accountability

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: Scott Moskowitz <scott () digital-watermark com>
Date: Fri, 29 Nov 2002 22:51:05 -0500
To: seth.johnson () realmeasures dyndns org
Cc: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Subject: Digital watermarks are about accountability

Seth:

While I share some of your concerns over "broadcast flags", as the
inventor of "steganographic ciphers" (cryptographic key-based digital
watermarking), the simple fact is: without responsibility there can be
no resolution to the copy protection problem. The current "broadcast
flag" debate is about apportioning 6 bits of data for determining
accountability.

I find the extrema of the opposing arguments to be a perfect example of
ignoring the elephant in the middle of the room. Some obvious questions:
What exactly is "piracy"? What exactly is "recognition"? How is "digital
rights management" effective when no one can predict the "hits"? If
"DRM" worked wouldn't you be more concerned? If we could predict the
vanity of the masses what would we need distribution channels and
inventory for? What is the balance of piracy and privacy? How can we
account for a problem that has no actuarially consistent discussion?
Since when did predetermined pricing win over free markets? Why is
access to good encryption for the purpose of privacy  ("identity" or
"sentimental piracy") any different from good digital watermarking
(e.g., a digital signature integral or concatenated with the content as
it is perceived or demanded) for protection against "positional piracy"?

Rights can not be separate from responsibility. Not encouraging artistic
control over digital works by means of signing the work, consistent with
the channels by which that work will achieve economic value is akin to
asking a McDonald's employee for a statistical measure of the food you
consume. Commerce is about receipts.

I have no idea what a kilowatt means in terms of radio use, PlayStation
time, or any other device reliant on electrical current; but, I do know
that the debate concerning solutions to copyright in the digital age are
right in front of our faces-- make accounting matter; encourage
compulsory licensing schemes; and, push for accountability from all
sides.

Bits may not have passports, but we can and should measure information
consumption. There is no information scarcity, only a scarcity of time.
The message, you see, is the medium.

Sincerely,
Scott Moskowitz
http://www.bluespike.com/


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