Fraunhofer Institute the renowned German research group which invented the MP3 audio compression has developed a prototype technology to help curb the sharp rise in online music piracy.
They have successfully tested a software system, based on digital watermarking technology, for tracking pirated audio files in peer-to-peer file-sharing networks.
How digital watermarking technology works :
Fraunhofer envisions the prototype software as an application that content providers can install on their own servers for automatically monitoring P2P networks around the clock.
The institute will demonstrate the technology next month at the Cebit trade show in Hanover, Germany.
End User :
If, for instance, you purchase and download a CD, burn a copy and give it to a friend and that person puts it on a file sharing network, the system will trace that music back to you and, depending on the legal system of the country you're in, you could be hit with an expensive fine.
This could certainly help deter online music piracy.
They have successfully tested a software system, based on digital watermarking technology, for tracking pirated audio files in peer-to-peer file-sharing networks.
How digital watermarking technology works :
- The system lets content providers, such as music studios, embed a watermark in their downloadable MP3 files.
- Watermark technology makes slight changes to data in both sound and image files. For example, the change could be a higher volume intensity in a tiny part of a song or a brighter color in a minuscule part of a picture.
- The digital media watermark used in the Fraunhofer system also contains a "hash value," which creates a link between the content provider and registered purchaser.
- The hash value is like a fingerprint; it contains unique information about the user.
- Even the best trained human eyes and ears can't detect the change.
- The software can automatically search for fingerprints.
- As an alternative to DRM (digital rights management) systems, which requires special players and are prone to hacking.
- Differs from others in that it doesn't monitor the individuals who illegally download music but rather scans for content that has been illegally uploaded.
- While watermarking technology isn't new per se, this is the first time it would be used in a system to automatically track pirating in P2P networks.
Fraunhofer envisions the prototype software as an application that content providers can install on their own servers for automatically monitoring P2P networks around the clock.
The institute will demonstrate the technology next month at the Cebit trade show in Hanover, Germany.
End User :
If, for instance, you purchase and download a CD, burn a copy and give it to a friend and that person puts it on a file sharing network, the system will trace that music back to you and, depending on the legal system of the country you're in, you could be hit with an expensive fine.
This could certainly help deter online music piracy.
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