The use of digital rights management (DRM) and forensic watermarking to safeguard high-end video content
In the last few years, the world has seen a dramatic increase in online video viewing. An estimated 2.6 billion people watched digital video in 2019, and this number is expected to rise to 3.1 billion by 2023, according to the global data portal Statista. Video content providers are responding to this surge in viewers by increasing the number of streaming and OTT platforms. Those days of Netflix’s hegemony are long past us. Every region faces significant obstacles unique to that area’s climate and terrain.
Pirates can also take advantage of the numerous platforms available. The pirate ecosystem, in fact, is thriving. For the same amount of content, users can get it for much less money on a pirated OTT platform than on a legitimate OTT service. Due to the current popularity of this style, it is critical that videos be safeguarded. Proprietary videos will be downloaded and made available on pirate websites if there is no security apparatus in place. Is it any surprise that this is a major revenue leak?
Digital rights management (DRM) technology has been entrusted by the online industry to keep pirates at bay. DRM protected content is now the norm for content streamed on the major OTT platforms. DRM allows content creators and copyright holders to keep tabs on who is listening to their work and where they are playing it. A wide range of DRM technologies are available from major tech companies, such as Widevine from Google, FairPlay from Apple, and PlayReady from Microsoft. As a result, content owners use multi-DRM vendors to ensure that no user or device is left out of the protection system.
Video watermarking technology is another weapon in the arsenal of security professionals. Multi-DRM and forensic watermarking are both applied to the same video asset, and they are both mostly integrated through the same vendor, in most cases.
Forensic watermarks ensure that if the content leaks despite all precautions, the unique metadata embedded in each video frame can be traced back to its source. This strategy gives content creators a way to contact piracy-related organisations.
When a video is queried, the multi-DRM vendor inserts undetectable data into each frame of the video, which contains information about the user ID, session ID, time of query, device ID, and so on. A forensic watermark is what you’re looking at. Distribution channels for OTT content, as well as individual devices, all include a watermark of some kind. Watermarks are permanently embedded in pirated videos. If the owner of a video discovers an illegal copy, they can use this watermark to find the leaker.
Due to the numerous restrictions imposed by the DRM licence and the forensic watermark, online video distributors (OTTs) can get the most out of their investments. Although securing streaming video appears to be a complicated process, the multiple DRM technology handles it in a single, integrated workflow. The SaaS model allows content creators to access and use the software on-the-fly, no matter where they are located in the world.