DRM implementation on ebooks

[John123]

Hi All,

I know this is a vast can of worms and all the arguments for and against DRM. But I have been asked to implement Digital Rights Management on the ebooks I produce.

My question is: where do I start on this very thorny subject?

I have, more or less, trawled through all the 380+, thus far, replies in the "Arguments For And Against DRM" thread.

Thanks in advance.

John.

[ApK]

Surely, you must be joking.


But seriously, you are saying, if I read you correctly, that the decision has already been made, and you need guidance to find out about how to go about it, and you DO NOT want this thread to be a discussion of the pros and cons.

Correct?

If so, then what is your role? Publisher? Distributor? DRM is not usually in the hands of the content creator or editors.

Has a decision been made on the exact form of DRM you need to implement? Social DRM, watermarking, ADE, etc?


ApK

p.s. Would you consider posting in that other thread to talk about how and why this decision was made?

[DiapDealer]

Step one: indicate to the vendors where the ebooks will be sold that you wish them to be sold with DRM.
Step two: wipe brow--maybe crack a beer.

[EowynCarter]

I buy books "protected" with adept adobe, because i can take off the drm easily.

A book with drm I can't remove is a book I will not buy.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Step one: indicate to the vendors where the ebooks will be sold that you wish them to be sold with DRM.
Step two: wipe brow--maybe crack a beer.

Unless he IS the vendor, selling from a private website, a la Pottermore or whatever, or if he just also wants some sort of watermarking or steganography under his own control....

[gbm]

Step 1. Who is going to pay for the cost of the DRM--I. E. the Adobe tax.

Until that is answered no need to worry about anything else.


bernie

[John123]

No, I'm not the vendor. Here's what my client asked for:

"Hi John – we are getting more requests from book reviewers etc for a mobi or epub file for them to read rather than a PDF. The problem is the files are open so they can be shared infinitely if someone deliberately or accidentally copied them round. For the books you've converted is it possible to put some security setting on the files that would protect us from that risk?
Thanks"

I know they are being unreasonable, that's a fact of life, ask any supplier to major supermarkets. I just don't even know where to begin. Not quite true, I'm looking at Adept, but fail to see what I need to do to implement even this on their books.

John.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by John123

No, I'm not the vendor. Here's what my client asked for:

"Hi John – we are getting more requests from book reviewers etc for a mobi or epub file for them to read rather than a PDF. The problem is the files are open so they can be shared infinitely if someone deliberately or accidentally copied them round. For the books you've converted is it possible to put some security setting on the files that would protect us from that risk?
Thanks"

I know they are being unreasonable, that's a fact of life, ask any supplier to major supermarkets. I just don't even know where to begin. Not quite true, I'm looking at Adept, but fail to see what I need to do to implement even this on their books.

John.

Forget trying implement Adept or any other sort of DRM like that. It won't work. That can be defeated in the time it takes to load the eBook into Calibre.

If you want to prevent your reviewers from sharing, use watermarks including watermarks in the graphics such as the cover.

[John123]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Forget trying implement Adept or any other sort of DRM like that. It won't work. That can be defeated in the time it takes to load the eBook into Calibre.

If you want to prevent your reviewers from sharing, use watermarks including watermarks in the graphics such as the cover.

Thanks. That would seem to be the simple, however surmountable, approach. I know how to watermark the cover simply in Photoshop. But how do I go about watermarking the epub/mobi text?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by John123

Thanks. That would seem to be the simple, however surmountable, approach. I know how to watermark the cover simply in Photoshop. But how do I go about watermarking the epub/mobi text?

Put in text in the middle of the copyright page with the identifying text. You could also add in a separate page like a bookplate with the actual name of the reviewer.

Once you've marked up the ePub, convert it Mobi and check that the watermarks for the graphics have survived.

[ApK]

You could take the Hollywood screener approach and every few pages inject some customized text like " FOR THE PERSONAL USE OF JOHN SMITH ONLY. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION UNDER PENALTY OF LAW. THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS HIDDEN SECURITY TRACKING FEATURES."

The last part doesn't even have to be true, it's just to discourage more casual sharing.

epub and mobi simply do not have security features of the sort available for PDF, and even secured PDFs can be improperly handled and copied (just ask the TSA....).

[John123]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Put in text in the middle of the copyright page with the identifying text. You could also add in a separate page like a bookplate with the actual name of the reviewer.

Once you've marked up the ePub, convert it Mobi and check that the watermarks for the graphics have survived.

Actually, this has given me a thought. What would be the best way to embed a reviewers information in the metadata? And use this threat not to re-distribute. Kinda lame I know, but might just be effective on most people.

[JoHunt]

Originally Posted by John123

Actually, this has given me a thought. What would be the best way to embed a reviewers information in the metadata? And use this threat not to re-distribute. Kinda lame I know, but might just be effective on most people.

LOL you're going to threaten reviewers? I know what my response to this sort of threat would be (and I wouldn't need more than 2 words)

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by John123

Actually, this has given me a thought. What would be the best way to embed a reviewers information in the metadata? And use this threat not to re-distribute. Kinda lame I know, but might just be effective on most people.

How many copies are you talking about?
If it's a few you could use readily available steganography tools to embed custom personally identifiable data in the cover and other interior pictures that would be invisible.

[gbm]

Originally Posted by gbm

Step 1. Who is going to pay for the cost of the DRM--I. E. the Adobe tax.

Until that is answered no need to worry about anything else.


bernie

Originally Posted by John123

No, I'm not the vendor. Here's what my client asked for:

"Hi John – we are getting more requests from book reviewers etc for a mobi or epub file for them to read rather than a PDF. The problem is the files are open so they can be shared infinitely if someone deliberately or accidentally copied them round. For the books you've converted is it possible to put some security setting on the files that would protect us from that risk?
Thanks"

I know they are being unreasonable, that's a fact of life, ask any supplier to major supermarkets. I just don't even know where to begin. Not quite true, I'm looking at Adept, but fail to see what I need to do to implement even this on their books.

John.

My question stands if they are not paying extra to include the drm, then tell them not happening.


bernie

P.S.
Here is one publisher solution to eARC's in the wild. No drm

Baen Ebooks ADVANCE READER COPIES