Editor & writing/publishing guru Robert Bacon publishes the free electronic newsletter The Perfect Write http://www.theperfectwrite.com/ . Here’s what his latest issue says about protecting one’s rights to e-books:
In the past I've discussed digital rights management (DRM) and its various ramifications for both writers and readers, and since plagiarism will always rear its ugly head I don't believe the importance of attempting to protect content is an issue that can receive too much attention. Digital watermarking is something that most folks outside of IT personnel know little about, and while I don't want to sully the material that's out there with my layman's drivel, anyone typing "watermarking in digital publishing" on a search engine will immediately come upon many links to material that explain digital watermarking in a way that is clear and relatively simple. This information is important for anyone who is self-publishing or considering this route, and the information will clarify why a DRM decision has to be made by any writer who is also considering a digital release of material via Amazon or anywhere else. Here's an article on watermarking and DRM in general that explains ways to protect content. http://digitalpublishing101.com/what-is-drm-digital-rights-management/
An aspect of DRM that must be understood is that it's also used by firms as a medium for buyer sourcing. Hence, why we at times receive what can be considered either odd or propitiously timed advertisements in our in-boxes, which seem to come out of nowhere. I'm always getting requests to receive car insurance quotes, for example, with my Zip code and vehicle info to tease my interest. However, ignoring these petty annoyances, if a watermark can legitimately protect intellectual property to one degree or another, I have to lean heavily toward supporting the technology. Still, this should be an individual decision (as should everything involving publishing), and my goal in this section is solely to make folks aware of watermarking if they are considering or using a digital medium for book marketing, distribution, or sales.
Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s-era novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & family. Set in Vancouver & rural Saskatchewan. Order from Chapters online http://tinyurl.com/ny8smwk or Borealis Press http://tinyurl.com/lfdo9pf . More info at http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs .
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