Comparative Analysis of Digital Rights Management (DRM) and Anti-Piracy Legislation: A Legal Perspective on India and the USA

ABSTRACT

This is an exploratory study that uses comparative methods to look at the efficacy of Digital Rights Management (DRM) technologies as a weapon to fight digital piracy. It examines the anti-piracy landscape in India and the USA to understand DRM implementation and its effectiveness in controlling digital piracy. DRM technologies such as encryption, digital watermarking and access controls play a core role in providing digital content its technological and legal safeguard against misuse, unauthorized distribution and infringement. This paper examines two different countries, India and USA’s, approaches to DRM enforcement by looking at their legal, implementation, and cultural, economic and technological factors at play. It also analyses emerging technologies such as blockchain and DRM tools to show the diversification in AI mechanisms that are in use or can be used to further tighten DRM enforcement on digital content. Digital Rights Management, known as software that checks the usage of digital content and relies on licensing contracts, comes into force where the statutory copyright ends. Since India had a low level of copyright awareness, its initial agreements and commitments under the TRIPS were below the minimum standards. Anti-piracy laws in India are also restrictive and can lead to jail time. In closing, DRM enforcement should be sustained without being a hindrance in digital rights and freedom. International cooperation, legal reforms, and public-private partnerships all play a vital role in ensuring DRM enforcement is done in a manner that doesn’t violate our digital rights and freedom.