The fact that digital data can be easily and cheaply copied, reproduced and disseminated without information loss threatens the means of existence of extensive sectors of the media industry. This is especially true in the case of the music segment, where declining sales are to a significant extent attributable to copyright infringements. The content industry is resorting to techno-legal protection measures to prevent the uncontrolled redistribution of content, so as to safeguard sustained sources of direct revenue. Therefore, no more the »royal« content itself, but the enforcement of the associated rights will be a key element in the business strategy of media enterprises. Digital rights management solutions promise to make an important contribution in this respect.
This work has the objective to assist media managers in determining an optimal level of content protection, taking into account the cost-benefit trade-offs of various protection strategies and the probable reaction of the legislator. Furthermore, the aim is to provide pointers for the subsequent techno-legal implementation of the optimal level of protection. For this reason, Vural Ünlü analyses the challenges of content in the digital era from multidisciplinary perspectives, including technology, economics and public policy and normatively evaluates solutions.