Digital Restrictions Management
Digital Restrictions Management (DRM), or "Digital Right Management", is a term used to describe software with artificial restrictions limiting what end-users can do with software running on their computer.
Practical Use-Cases[edit]
Big online television streaming corporations like Netflix do not want end-users to be able to record (and potentially share) the content they stream from their service. This is why Netflix requires that their customers use software with digital restrictions management in order to view their propaganda.
HBO Max recently made it completely impossible to use their service on Linux. People suspect HBO enabled Widevine's "verified media path" feature. but HBO isn't saying; It's not like their own paying customers have any right to know why the service they're paying for isn't working anymore...
It's very much possible other streaming services might enable whatever it is HBO Max enabled, and Linux users just won't be able to stream anything anymore in the near future.
This is unfortunate because Raised By Wolves is actually a good show, albeit very weird.
Work-Arounds[edit]
There are no known workarounds, and those GIT Widevine plugins aren't a solution, either, nor is spoofing any browser useragents. No browsers work.
As always, DRM only really serves to inconvenience legitimate users; if you wanted to break the law (which we're not recommending) and record a DRM video, all you'd have to do is buy a cheap HDCP "converter", plug that into an Elgato HD60 S in you PC, and record it with NVENC/Pro ReLive/Quick Sync at the maximum supported bitrate, then re-encode in AV1/H.265 with Opus audio with FFmpeg.
Video Game DRM[edit]
DRM is also used by a lot of game developers in order to prevent people from copying their precious game. The end-result has, in many cases, been a disaster where people who actually buy games end up being unable to play them while people who download a cracked pirated version can.
Resistance[edit]
The Free Software Foundation has been fighting against DRM for almost two decades.
