The Fraunhofer Institute has successfully developed a technology to combat online piracy, ironically supported by another innovation from this renowned research organization: MP3 audio compression technology.
Michael Kip, spokesperson for the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits, stated that the institute’s scientists have successfully tested a software system based on their digital watermarking technology, which helps track down illegally copied audio files across peer-to-peer file-sharing networks.
Kip believes that the Fraunhofer method is an effective alternative to digital rights management (DRM) systems, which require special readers and can be bypassed by hackers.
While digital watermarking is not a new concept, this is the first time it has been utilized in a system to automatically monitor illegal copying trails in peer-to-peer networks.
This system allows content providers, such as record labels, to embed a digital watermark in their MP3 files. The watermark technology makes slight data alterations in both audio and image files. For instance, the alteration could involve a higher sound intensity in a very brief segment of a song or a brighter color in a tiny part of an image. Kip noted that even those with the best eyesight and hearing would not be able to detect these changes.
The digital watermarks used in Fraunhofer’s system also contain information known as “hash-value,” which is used to create a link between the music file provider and the registered buyer. Kip explained: “The hash-value is like a fingerprint; it contains unique information about the user. The software we developed can automatically search for these ‘fingerprints’.”
The Fraunhofer method differs from other approaches as it does not monitor individual infringers but rather scans to find content that has been illegally uploaded online.
Kip stated: “For example, if a user purchases and downloads a CD, makes a copy to give to a friend, and then that friend uploads it to a file-sharing network, our system will trace the music files back to the original buyer. Depending on the legal framework in the user’s country, they may face hefty fines. This will certainly help reduce online music piracy.”
The Fraunhofer Institute describes their prototype software as an application that content providers can install on their own servers to automatically monitor peer-to-peer networks globally.
Kip mentioned that at the upcoming Cebit exhibition next month in Hanover, the Fraunhofer Institute will showcase their technology.
When asked whether the MP3 technology bears some responsibility for the rise in piracy, he responded: “Yes and no. You can use a knife to cut bread or to harm someone. It is a tool that can be misused.”
Research on compressing music files has been conducted since the 1980s by a group of scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits. Their research resulted in the MPEG-1 Layer 3 algorithm, which was initially shortened to MPEG Layer 3 and later became known simply as MP3.
