International Day Against DRM
Protests against digital rights management technology
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
International Day Against DRM (IDAD), sometimes called just Day Against DRM or anti-DRM day, is a grassroots international observance of protests against digital rights management (DRM) technology.[1][2][3][4][5] The event is intended as "a counterpoint to the pro-DRM message broadcast by powerful media and software companies"[3] and aims to draw attention to DRM's anti-consumer aspects.[5]
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| International Day Against DRM | |
|---|---|
Richard Stallman during the 2017 International Day Against DRM in Genoa | |
| Status | active |
| Genre | Educational activities and activist demonstrations and happenings |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Inaugurated | 2006 |
| Founder | Defective by Design / Free Software Foundation |
| Patron | Defective by Design / Free Software Foundation |
| Website | www |
Background
International Day Against DRM has been also described as a reaction against the lobbyist-dominated World Intellectual Property Day of the World Intellectual Property Organization, which promotes DRM.[6] World Intellectual Property Day has been criticized by the activists from civil society organizations such as IP Justice and the Electronic Information for Libraries who consider it one-sided propaganda as the marketing materials associated with the event, provided by WIPO, "come across as unrepresentative of other views and events".[7] Michael Geist, a law professor at the University of Ottawa, noted that "World Intellectual Property Day has become little more than a lobbyist day".[8]
Activism
This recurring event has been organized annually since 2006, and has been first introduced by the Defective by Design initiative.[9] Various activities related to the event happen around the world, organized by anti-DRM grassroots activists and organizations.[2][3][10] During the International Day Against DRM, there are discussions and promotions of DRM-free media and technology.[1] Consumers are encouraged to switch to DRM-free alternatives.[11] Companies that agree with the criticism of DRM have been known to offer discounts on products like DRM-free ebooks.[12] In 2008 Defective by Design announced 35 consecutive Days Against DRM, each one warning the public against a different DRM-related product or service.[13]
This event has been endorsed by a number of civil society organizations[3] such as the Free Software Foundation (creator of the Defective by Design initiative),[9][14] Creative Commons,[15] the Document Foundation,[16] the Electronic Freedom Foundation,[17] the Open Rights Group,[18] Public Knowledge,[19] and companies like O'Reilly Media,[20] iFixit[21] and Packt.[10]
