EFF split from W3C over EME standard (and implication of DRM on the web)

Technology and Internet
#1

Has anyone caught up with this story? I can see both sides of the argument. On the one hand I can see W3C thinking that DRM is here like it or not, so we might as well specify an API as a standard.

On the other hand I can’t help feel that this is the ‘big end of town’ dictating how the Internet infrastructure should go forward from here in order to maintain their dominant position. My experience is that these kind of decisions have unintended consequences that only come to light once the genie has been let out of the bottle. Guess only time will tell.

#2

From what I’ve seen and what a lot of people seem to be missing, is that Encrypted Media Extensions are only the API (likely better described as ABI) between the browser and the Content Decryption Module.

Nowhere is it required that the CDM follow any standard beyond the north bound EME interface, be Open or cross-platform.

Get ready for online media that requires Windows 10 + Edge + Intel Gen7 + EFI restricted boot + protected media path all enabled, all while claiming they support standard HTML5. Heck, they’ll probably through in offensive unskippable ads too.