There’s An Entire Conference About Trying To ‘Protect’ Content?

It’s been sort of amusing over the past few years to watch the entertainment and media worlds focus increasingly on the idea that they need to “protect” content in some way, as if (a) that’s possible or (b) desirable. It is neither. At this point, it should be clear that there is no realistic way to “protect” content. The debunking of DRM has gone on for many years, and I don’t think we need to contribute any further to that discussion. But, more importantly, even if it were possible, I would argue that it is not a good idea. The opportunities for smart business models going forward are in enabling people to do more with your content. That is, it’s in using the content to create greater and greater value — and then setting up business models that allow you to capture some of that increased value.

So, I find it rather amusing to see (via Sheri Candler) that there’s an entire conference that’s been created called The Content Protection Summit. To me, that reads something like the “Rotary Phone Preservation Society” or the “Committee To Restore Butter Churns.” It’s a historical anachronism that is no longer needed.

Thankfully, the Summit organizers claim that the event will not discuss policy/lobbying efforts, but instead will be a working session to “establish a ‘framework'” for the industry. A framework for what? The organizers are vague in a way that suggests even they’re not sure. Note the massive overuse of “quotation marks” around everything (the organizers might want to check out the “blog” of “unnecessary” quotation marks for guidance):

  • This is not a “singular event”, but rather the establishment of a “framework” through which industry leaders can identify top issues facing the industry, discuss them from all angles and aspects, and work collaboratively on ways to resolve or otherwise reduce/mitigate them through topic-based “working teams”.
  • Most conferences focus on facilitating two things: “issue awareness” and “social networking”. This summit instead focuses specifically on creating the framework to WORK and RESOLVE these issues. As top leaders in the industry with far too much to do, we do not need yet “another conference”, but instead need a forum for actually working and resolving the top issues facing us.
  • Recognizes the common issues facing the entire “Entertainment Industry (movies + tv + music + games + software + publishing) versus individual industry segments or elements.
  • Fills an industry “gap”, as there is no continual working forum for these issues. There are individual conferences or parts of events, but nothing that is industry-wide with a singular purpose.

Since they’re so big on quotation marks, I’ll admit that reading this list makes it sound suspiciously like the event is about “collusion,” as each set of quotations marks makes me assume that the word or phrase is a euphemism of sorts, and the only one that seems to fit is collusion. Of course, the industry has tried to work together on DRM in the past and it’s failed time and time again, so I’m not sure how getting folks together for another shot at a really bad business model does anything other than get the hopes up for those who haven’t realized that they’re chasing an obsolete dream, rather than embracing new opportunities.

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