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Unlike other digital rights management systems, this invention can place a direct cost to the user if he loses control of the media.
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Brief Description This invention relates to a system and method for managing media rights. The invention provides a way to protect analogue or digital media from unlicensed distribution. This is done by means of embedding digital money (specifically, the private key of a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin) into the media itself. If a consumer distributes the media entrusted to him, the embedded money (e.g. his deposit) risks being lost and the activity traced. Target Market Content owners and distributors such as Authors Producers Broadcast corporations Musicians Photographers Online entertainment providers Software providers Publishers Value Proposition/Benefits Unlike other digital rights management systems, this invention can place a direct cost to the user if he loses control of the media. Also, the moment an adversary extracts the digital money from the media, this activity (and the identity of the user) becomes visible in the cryptocurrency’s public ledger. This allows content providers to rapidly react on unlicensed distribution. Unique Characteristics The use of unique properties of cryptocurrencies to protect media by using two properties of cryptocurrencies. Firstly, that digital money can be embedded inside the media, but only be spent once by an adversary. Secondly, that such activity becomes public and the user becomes tracable as soon as the digital money is spent. Technical Description When a user wishes to rent/purchase media from a content provider, the provider generates (or re-uses) a public and private key associated with the cryptocurrency, transfers money to the address, and embeds the private key in the media before providing it to the user. The block chain is then monitored for spending by an adversary. Innovation Status A PCT application (no. PCT/IB 2014/065586) has been filed for this innovation. National patent has been filed in the USA. Principal Researcher Prof.G van Rooyen,Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University Mr F.J. Lutz, MComm (Economy) student, Faculty of Economic and Managerial Science, Stellenbosch University Mr H.A. Engelbrecht, Senior Lecturer, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University