Social DRM and EPUB

libreka! is the joint ebook platform of German publishers and booksellers

Industry initiative to market digital content

Enabling a competitive ebook market

Committed to open standards

open to all retail channels

open to all reading devices

libreka! is the joint ebook platform of German publishers and booksellers

1,300 participating publishers

600 participating booksellers

2,000 websites using libreka! services

Services ranging from book search to widgets to ebook aggregator

Hard DRM forces the reader to...

•  install new software •  register twice •  actively manage his licences •  select specific reading devices •  check for format compatibility •  check for specific usages

Social DRM allows the reader to...

•  read on any device •  freely use the digital file •  copy, print and store with no restrictions

Watermarks and EPUB?

•  developed by Frauenhofer Institute, the inventors of MP3

•  visible watermarks directly inserted in EPUB •  invisible watermarks inserted in several ways

(images alterations, blanks, codes,...) •  transactional watermark (name, transaction code)

Social DRM – a win-win alternative for readers and publishers •  a cross-platform compatible, universally useable

e-book •  represents the best user experience •  strongly discourages piracy due to the nature and

number of watermarks •  allows for tracing and tracking pirated copies •  enables a variety of innovative business models

Social DRM – is it really safe?

•  tracking program for all social DRM e-books sold on libreka since Jan. 2010

•  more than 600 sites covered •  vast majority of pirated books are scans •  NOT A SINGLE INSTANCE OF PIRACY OF

A SOCIAL DRM EBOOK DETECTED!

WHAT ARE WE COMPETING ON?

Pirated

✔

✔

✖

✔

✖

Hard DRM

✖

✔

✔

✔

✔

Price

Compatibility

Ease of purchase

Ease of use

Choice

✖

✖

✔

✖

✔

Social DRM

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