iTunes Plus Music Embeddeding User Information into Tracks

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/12595/1103/' target='_blank'>http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/12595/1103/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"iTunes Plus with DRM-free tracks are finally here, but each track, DRM-free or no, contains the name you used to register iTunes to dissuade you from placing your songs on P2P networks. Apple’s gone partially DRM-free, but a surprising discovery reported online says that your name, your email address and other personal details are embedded into each track that you purchase from iTunes, whether it has DRM to protect it, or not. Following this discovery, the EFF said additional information had been found in iTunes files, possibly amounting to an additional ‘digital watermark’, allowing songs uploaded from iTunes to be easily identified. Unfortunately, hackers are already working on ways to strip this information from iTunes’s DRM-free EMI songs, as well as ‘spoof’ the information to make it appear as through from someone else, as surprise and mild outrage spreads that Apple has included this information with DRM-free music downloads."</i><br /><br />I think Apple did the right thing here by embedding user information into the music tracks - if the customer purchased it for personal use, they should have no issues with the music being tagged with their information. If they bought the tracks with the intention of sharing on P2P networks, then they deserve to be tracked down. That's my view on it - what's yours?

[Chris Gohlke]

It is a great idea in theory.

BUT, as soon as someone hacks to file as to be able to edit that information, the usefulness of that information in tracking the source of copyright infringement is wiped out.

I'm sure the people at Apple already knew this, but I bet it was good enough to sell a record exec on DRM free downloads.

[Vincent Ferrari]

Chris is right, but 99% of people probably aren't smart enough to whip out a hex editor an make that change ;-)

I think it's fine. Frankly the idea that a file that's only on my computer means that I don't care. Interestingly enough, I wonder how many of these folks who are losing their minds over this would actually sanitize a Word Document; after all Word Documents have what amounts to the same information embedded in them also...

[Jason Dunn]

BUT, as soon as someone hacks to file as to be able to edit that information, the usefulness of that information in tracking the source of copyright infringement is wiped out.

True, true. But I think it's a good step that stop most people...

[Phronetix]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. After seeing this get shredded in Apple-fan and Slash-dot circles, it is nice to finally hear someone speak of this in reasonable ways.

Could not agree more with Jason.

[Vincent Ferrari]

I don't know how connected you are to the Apple Community, but I am very much connected and I haven't heard a whole lot of outrage within the actual community. Most people realize that if you aren't sharing these files, it really doesn't matter what's in 'em anyway.

[whydidnt]

I personally don't want my personal information embedded in these tracks. What if my iPod is lost or stolen? Whoever ends up with it now has my personal information. Why can't they just put a unique identifier in the file that they can tie back to the iTunes account if the file shows up on in the wild? Seems to me that would be just as easy and eliminate the privacy concerns.

However, as Chris points out, this is going to be pretty easy for someone to hack/change anyway. I'm sure we will see software available very soon that automatically strips or changes the information to something like "I'm in ur iPod" or "Steve Jobs". :wink:

Seriously, today anyone with a couple minutes time can already find and download whatever DRM free song they want. Apple selling these tracks isn't going to change that in any shape or form. My point is that people that want to buy these will, and probably aren't likely to be "sharing" and those who refuse to buy, will continue doing what they do today which is search the torrents for the music they want. It's an exercise in futility for Apple to think that embedding user information in the file is going to change any of that.

[Vincent Ferrari]

I don't think they're expecting it to change anything, but remember the music industry is all about stopping casual piracy these days. They want to be able to find you if and when you do share a file and be able to trace it back to its origins.

Sure you can hack it. Sure it riles some people.

In the end, if this is the concession to legally buy music cheaper than the CD in a non-restrictive format, I'm okay with it.

Remember, this is a first step, not a last step.

[wesk]

I have no problem with them embedding information in the music tracks, but couldn't they just have used an ID number instead. :confused totally: That way it would have done away with any privacy issues and maybe made it harder to hack.

Wes

[Damion Chaplin]

after all Word Documents have what amounts to the same information embedded in them also...

Here I was, about to decry all manner of file tracking, when Vincent had to chime in with the voice of reason. :)

While in principal I can never approve of something like this, in practice I guess it doesn't actually harm anyone (except the file-sharing idiot that unwittingly opens themselves up for prosecution). I still, however, encourage people to rip their own tracks from their own CDs and circumvent any amount of file tagging the studios or distributors would force upon us.

[Jason Eaton]

Me personally? Don't care. Rather have no DRM and embedded info as such rather then DRM.

Where I might have a concern is if say the ipod gets stolen. Can you transfer the music off? If so... what if someone copies the music off the stolen ipod, posts the music, it makes the rounds then the RIAA comes a knocking saying I now have to pony up some big bucks.

Now, either way I am screwed. I pay RIAA or I pay lawers to say I didn't.

Eh. I like gun laws as well until I need a gun to defend myself.

[Vincent Ferrari]

Here I was, about to decry all manner of file tracking, when Vincent had to chime in with the voice of reason. :)

You know you've got problems when I'm your voice of reason, my friend. 8)

[idawgik]

From everything I've read, this is no different than the rest of the itunes files have ever been, it embeds your name and email address, no more information. People are just blowing it all out of proportion because they were expecting to get DRM free music and share it. Apparently this isn't a new practice, just one that people are complaining about now.

[Damion Chaplin]

You know you've got problems when I'm your voice of reason, my friend. 8)

Yes, well, if taking a bit of reason from you is the worst problem I have today, I'll consider myself lucky. :wink:

[Phoenix]

Wow. The years go by and this whole thing solves nothing - exchanging one lame "solution" for another.

Personal info embedded into my music? Forget that.

All this drama... Security issues. Flexibility issues. Ownership issues. Rights issues. Paranoia issues.

And yeah, we've always had business. But at least we had some soul left in the music industry with physical media. The moment we went virtual, this industry has turned into nothing more than a cold, heartless automaton pumping out little more than the black ooze of politics, courtrooms, and interest groups. These fools have sucked the life and fun out of what we love so much, all in the name of "fill in the blank".

In this industry, it's hardly a celebration anymore of what we create; it's about what dollars go into which suit pockets.

Blech. I'm getting tired of all this.

Life's too short to keep dealing with all this crap.


So forget buying online. No well-oiled machine there. I'm keeping a low profile and takin' a permanent vacation from all this until the industry irons it out. I'm gonna rest calmly and quietly and off to the side with the CD's I buy, and "poof", all those issues I mentioned will never appear. At least not in my life. I have better things to do...

... like focusing on what REALLY matters: listening to music.

[whydidnt]

So forget buying online. No well-oiled machine there. I'm keeping a low profile and takin' a permanent vacation from all this until the industry irons it out. I'm gonna rest calmly and quietly and off to the side with the CD's I buy, and "poof", all those issues I mentioned will never appear. At least not in my life. I have better things to do...

... like focusing on what REALLY matters: listening to music.

Phoenix, I can appreciate your sentiment, but if you think there wasn't any politics and fighting for $$ before digital downloads, your kidding yourself. The industry has always corruptly followed the last possible dollar. The digital world just makes it more visible to the rest of us - and opens a few more doors for musicians that couldn't get into the major labels closed club.

[Phoenix]

Phoenix, I can appreciate your sentiment, but if you think there wasn't any politics and fighting for $$ before digital downloads, your kidding yourself. The industry has always corruptly followed the last possible dollar. The digital world just makes it more visible to the rest of us - and opens a few more doors for musicians that couldn't get into the major labels closed club.

I wasn't contesting any of that. Quite frankly, I'm not sure where you got all that from, based on what I posted. I did mention we've always had business.

And yes, the internet allows no-name musicians a chance, and that's great. But that's about an online presence, not digital downloads. You can have an online presence and make an impact by selling only CD's online. But again, I wasn't discussing any of that.

In fact, your comment about digital downloads making all the crap more obvious to consumers doesn't take away from my point - it adds to it. But it's not merely more obvious, it's gotten worse. There are more players involved than ever before and they're doing what they're doing - the product might be virtual, but their behavior is not; it's very real, and it's getting too crowded.

I'm tired of all the nonsense, and buying CD's just removes it all from my path so I can enjoy my music in the way that best suits me without having to spend time and effort with things that merely sap me of my energy. There are more important things in life.