Legal policy and digital rights management

The paper, intended primarily to be a tutorial, informs readers of the important role that law and policy play in the development of new technologies. It also provides guidance with respect to the legal and policy issues that apply to digital rights management (DRM) techniques. The laws and policies that affect the development of DRM architectures are explained. The trends that affect the way international norms are developed are highlighted, focusing on the work of organizations such as the World Intellectual Property Organization. The paper concludes by providing insight on why the policy-making process is an important consideration the development of DRM systems and future progress in this area.