Thomas Jefferson, Needles and Haystacks

The weakness of "all" other watermarking systems is encompassed by a simple test we originally proposed: can your watermark survive itself? Can the watermarked media content be watermarked again and still establish responsibility of the original watermark?

We base this assertion on existing patents and cannot be certain that infringement or alternative technologies will not be introduced. To the extent that secure digital watermarking represents a fundamental intellectual property tool in which to create responsibility for intellectual property, we believe that piracy can be limited as it has in the successful experiences of all media industries, including music.

The key factor will remain creating recognition and converting recognition into a valuable consumer experience. It is not likely that any general standardization of the technology of watermarking is likely to meet all of the various potential applications. Similarly, business models will only be possible to test by extending currently profitable business practices into the electronic domain.

Markets benefit from confidence and trust that is enabled with transparency and liquidity. We expect that the future of music and the successful sale of media content will continue to be a symbiosis between youth and art as an ongoing melody in the making.

©This article originally appeared in dmm v3.3 :: Beyond the Battleground: Get Digital-Music-Smart - or Get Out :: music report