Although many of us are in quarantine, that doesn't mean that we have
to cease our fight against Digital Restrictions Management (DRM).
The International Day Against DRM (IDAD) is just two days away,
and we're here to let you know how we can all stand up this Friday,
December 4th, against the latest encroachments from one of DRM's major
players: Netflix.
As pandemic response measures all over the world forced so many people
to stay home, we've seen a corresponding and dangerous increase in
dependence on streaming media for entertainment. Streaming media has
gone from an ethically problematic pastime to being a playground for
dystopia. In a world where media is served over ephemeral streaming,
these services can delete things from history, or rewrite them,
sometimes without any announcement. Besides deciding what people can
and can't view with their service, corporations like Netflix also
dictate what can and can't be made, now that they're one of the
heavyweights in television and film production and distribution. This
rise in control is in part due to their constant mistreatment of their
subscribers, having used DRM to prevent legitimate uses of their media
and dictate which devices can play it.
December 4th marks the start of Netflix's "StreamFest" initiative
in certain countries -- letting users have a taste of the poison apple
before they commit to taking the bite. It's at times like these that
we as a community need to step up and say that enough is enough, and
let them know that DRM is unacceptable no matter where it appears or
how it's being used. We may not be meeting in person, but that doesn't
mean we can't come together and let our voices be heard. We hope
you'll join us in this year's IDAD by following one or more of the
suggestions we've provided below.
What you can do
Join us in sending a clear message about Netflix's use of DRM by
phoning their feedback and support line at 1-865-383-3330. Need
help on what to say? You can follow our sample call script on this
year's IDAD page. If you're not a Netflix subscriber, you can
tell them that you never will be one until they get rid of their
DRM.
Join us for a BigBlueButton session on Friday for an informal
chat on the anti-DRM movement, where we'll talk strategies, share
stories, report on activities happening around the globe, and plan
for the future.
Post on social media using the hashtag #DayAgainstDRM to let
us and others know how you're celebrating the Day Against DRM. If
you're on social media, keep an eye out, and share, our own posts
and those of organizations around the world who are partnering with
us, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Framasoft, and
La Quadrature du Net.
Living outside the US? Help us update important information about
your country so we can direct people around the world to updated
resources. Let the DBD campaign know what DRM-related issues need
attention in your area and how we can help on the LibrePlanet
wiki.
Join us on the Freenode IRC network in the #dbd channel for
real-time discussion on anti-DRM activism.
Challenge yourself to go a day (or even longer!) without DRM, and
call on your community to join you. You can use our Guide to
DRM-free Living as a way to read, watch, and listen to new
media without compromising your freedom. While you're there, you can
check out DRM-free media sales from Libreture, Leanpub, and other
partnering organizations of this year's IDAD.
Defective by Design is a campaign run by the Free Software Foundation,
and it's your support that keeps us moving forward. You can support
our vital work against DRM by becoming an associate member: the
support of our members ensures we can confidently combat the
movement's next threat. Right now, the FSF is in the middle of our
annual fundraiser, and we depend on you to help us keep our
vital work against DRM going strong.
Streaming media services like Netflix have a stranglehold on
entertainment, especially during times like these, but it doesn't have
to be this way. In the last few weeks, we've been celebrating
thirty-five years of the Free Software Foundation's past
accomplishments, but now it's time to achieve new ones for the future.
A key part of that is protesting technology being used as an
instrument for unjust power. DRM is only one of the harmful ways
technology is being used, but this Friday, we'll be tackling it
head-on. We hope to see you there with us.
