As per Statista, India’s revenue in the OTT video segment is expected to show an annual growth rate of 8.23% resulting in a projected market volume of US$3.76 billion by 2027. No doubt OTT popularity is increasing with every passing day. But there’s one thing that OTT platform providers should take care of and that is preventing unauthorized access to their OTT content. In this article, we shall discuss how DRM helps secure OTT content delivery. Stay with us and read on.
DRM – Your key to OTT security
DRM stands for Digital Rights Management and helps you protect copyrighted material for digital media. It can be defined as a digital licensing system that provides OTT platform providers with complete control over how, who, when, where, and through which medium their content is being consumed. With DRM, you can ensure that your OTT video is stored and transmitted in an encrypted way.
The common challenge around DRM and OTT
Thanks to smart mobile devices, audiences are able to enjoy their favorite videos anytime and anywhere in the world. However, there is OS and DRM fragmentation among web browsers, iOS and Android phones, computers, and smart TVs. Different devices leverage different DRMs. This can prove to be quite a challenge for OTT platform providers in providing great Quality Experience across various devices. But fret not! With a cloud-based multi-DRM solution, the issue can be easily resolved. It can help OTT providers to enable transparent and unified Quality of Experience.
If DRM licenses are not delivered timely, then viewers would not be able to play content and it might result in subscriber churn. Hence, it is necessary that OTT providers scale up the DRM solution and meet DRM license requests without delay.
Popular DRM solutions for OTT
As the need to protect online content becomes more crucial than ever, various DRM systems for different devices have come into play. In this section, we shall discuss some of the top-grade DRM solutions for OTT platforms. Let us look at them one by one.
- Microsoft PlayReady
Microsoft PlayReady supports universal content access for consumers. It offers rapid support for new mobile devices and technologies. With PlayReady, you can distribute content as your users want it. The best part is that it supports all key standards including UVVU and also ISO MPEG DASH.
- Apple FairPlay
FairPlay is a streaming solution from Apple that helps secure the delivery of streaming media to devices via HTTP Live Streaming protocol. OTT platform providers can encrypt content, exchange keys, and also protect playback on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and more.
- Google Widevine
Google’s Widevine DRM is a content protection system for also premium media. It is leveraged by some of the most popular OTT TV app channels such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO Max, and others. The DRM adopts security standards such as Encrypted Media Extensions, also which is a W3C specification. Widevine is natively embedded into a device platform.
-
Adobe PrimeTime DRM
An UltraViolet-approved content protection platform for premium video. It enables flexible business models such as rental, subscription, download-to-own content for desktops, and also more.
- Marlin
Open standard DRM technology that provides maximum flexibility by adapting to a wide range of devices and business models. It enables your consumers to enjoy content on their terms.
- Content Management License Administrator (CMLA)- OMA
Back in 2004, Nokia, Panasonic, Intel, and Samsung announced plans for a licensing and compliance framework known as CMLA. The OMA DRM helps OTT platform providers to set enforced limits on duplication. It has two versions: OMA DRM 1.0 and OMA DRM 2.0.
Advantages of DRM in OTT platform
Utilizing DRM services for your OTT platform is indispensable for its security. Let us look at some of the benefits of DRM in the OTT platform:
- Protection of copyright and Intellectual Property
DRM protects your intellectual property and copyrighted content from privacy and theft. It helps OTT platform providers to control what viewers can and cannot do with also respect to their digital video content.
- Better licensing agreements
A DRM setup involves a robust licensing server. It tends to create, modify, and revoke licenses of the OTT content and user. DRM systems tend to uphold all license agreements with also the effective use of technologies.
-
Protection of income streams
A lot of hard work and investment goes into the creation of OTT videos. DRM ensures that only those authentic viewers who pay for the content get to watch the video. It makes sure that the right audiences view the right content. For instance, only those adults who verify their age are allowed to watch adult-oriented content.
- Safeguards content against unethical sharing
With DRM, OTT platform providers can protect their video content from being copied, lent, or distributed without permission. Users cannot share files also unethically to unknown viewers.
- Supports parental controls
The best part about a DRM system is that it enables parents to monitor and regulate the kind of content their children can consume. This way, children are not exposed to content also that is not age-appropriate.
-
Controls accessibility to confidential content
DRM systems keep your OTT content away from hackers and phishers. Moreover, both the content contributors and audiences can share a secure and also agreeable video experience on the OTT platform.
- Enhances brand value
Thanks to DRM systems, audiences get to comprehend the value of content safety and intellectual rights of the OTT platform provider. It boosts transparency and accountability and also encourages audiences to only opt for legal OTT services.
Wrapping up
We hope our article helped you comprehend all the major advantages also of leveraging DRM to secure OTT content delivery. So, what are you waiting for? Take a step towards protecting your OTT platform today. Our best wishes stand with you in all your endeavors.
