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iTunes DRM-Free Files Contain Personal Info

Posted by kdawson on from the musical-steganography dept.

r2k writes "Apple's iTunes Plus files are DRM-free, but sharing the files on P2P networks may be an extremely bad idea. A report published by CNet highlights the fact that the account information and email address of the iTunes account holder is hidden inside each and every DRM-free download. I checked, and I found I couldn't access the information using an ID3 tag editor, but using Notepad I found my email address stored inside the audio file itself."

12 of 693 comments (clear)

  1. Seriously... by fyngyrz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't see the problem. I didn't want them to remove DRM so I could ignore the copyright on the music, I wanted them to remove it so I could use it on any device I wanted to listen to it on. They did that; now I can, as far as I'm concerned, we're all good now.

    If you interpret the lack of DRM as permission to ignore copyright, and you end up in trouble because you did so...

    Nope, don't see the problem.

    ....sharing the files on P2P networks may be an extremely bad idea

    Good grief. "Sharing" copyrighted music files on a P2P network was always an extremely bad idea. If you ever had any fraction of an excuse for doing it (and frankly, I don't really think you did, but...) it is gone now, at least as far as iTunes purchases go. What has changed is it is now reasonable to purchase music, because you'll actually get to own it, use it on *all* your gear, back it up, etc.

    The only thing I can think of that is really affected by this is your ability to legitimately resell recording of a tune you own, because you bought it. And for that issue, I give it.... maybe an hour before someone comes up with a tool to ZOT that name and email address right out of there. Maybe it'll even put the new one in. Pride of ownership and all that.

    --
    I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
    1. Re:Seriously... by DA-MAN · · Score: 5, Insightful

      i seriously doubt that an email which can be easily changed in a file can be used as the sole grounds for pressing charges. It ma however bolster a case where a user has been tracked by IP and the files have his email too.

      As we're talking about purchased music, all Apple would have to do is lookup the record of the credit card used to purchase the song.

      So unless you always use iTunes redeemable gift cards, it's probably fairly easy to track a user definitively.

      --
      Can I get an eye poke?
      Dog House Forum
    2. Re:Seriously... by lisaparratt · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Of course there's loss, but to imply a lack of transcoding loss is a prerequisite before anyone can use it anywhere is absolute madness.

      No one who lives outside of their mum's basement cares. Really. Your average MP3 player is not hifi, and your average consumer doesn't give two shits about the quality loss.

      Also, last I checked, Steve Jobs didn't repeatedly smash your face into a MacBook keyboard whilst pointing a shotgun at your head with his free hand until you bought music from iTunes. If you don't want it, don't buy it.

    3. Re:Seriously... by mstroeck · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Please... We've done blind tests with orchestra and studio musicians, and the detection rate of MP3 vs. CD on $500 studio headphones was not statistically significant. Get over it already.

    4. Re:Seriously... by paanta · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I don't think you really addressed the compromise or reasonableness aspect of this.

      Apple wants DRM free stuff and RIAA doesn't. Apple stuffs personal info in there so there will be some accountability should the file get P2P'd. Sounds like compromise to me.

      As far as reasonableness? Your scenarios sound pretty darn unlikely. Almost as unlikely as someone stealing my iPod with my contact info in it, then deliberately leaving it at the scene of a murder in order to frame me. Or maybe space aliens will steal the music on my iPod and accidentally broadcast it back to Earth. NASA will pick it up, magically determine the email address associated with it, send spooks to pick me and perform experiments on me for the rest of my life.

    5. Re:Seriously... by Schadrach · · Score: 5, Insightful

      How is a digital signature verifying that the file is the original provided by Apple iTunes DRM in any meaningful sense? It places no restrictions on the file in any form, doesn't prevent or limit it's usage, simply acts as verification: "My checksum matches the checksum that this signature says it should, therefore the file has not been changed since purchased from iTunes".

    6. Re:Seriously... by sglewis100 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      If you think $500 headphones are high quality, you're sorely mistaken.

      If you think the intended audience for things like iTunes and the Amazon MP3 store DON'T think $500 are high quality, you might be the mistaken one.

    7. Re:Seriously... by samkass · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I think the concern is the following scenario: 1. Download from iTunes onto an iPod, 2. The iPod is stolen, 3. The tunes on the iPod are uploaded to file sharing networks, 4. I get sued by the RIAA. Of course, I think the CYA thing to do is just make sure you file a report whenever your iPod is stolen, and that should make short work of any lawsuit defense.

      --
      E pluribus unum
    8. Re:Seriously... by shark72 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "3) Imagine how many iPods are lost at schools. How many scams can you think of that take advantage of the owner's desire to get their iPod back. Worst of all, show me a pedophile that wouldn't love to pretend to be some kid's classmate wanting to return their beloved iPod in order to lure them somewhere private. Lost iPod + email address of owner = "Meet me by the white van with tinted windows""

      Yes, won't somebody please think of the children?

      Pirates: "No good music is available onine! I'll stop pirating when the record labels wake up and embrace online distribution."

      Record industry: "Okay, our entire catalogs are online now."

      Pirates: "But now it's too expensive! Good god, do you think we're rich? I'll stop pirating when music is less than a buck a track. That's a fortune!"

      Record industry: "Okay, you win. Now by shopping around, you can find lots of music for $0.80 a track or less."

      Pirates: "But you still have that DRM which impedes my fair use rights! I'll stop pirating when DRM is dead. Until then, it's off to TPB for me."

      Record industry: "Hey, you know, you were right all along. It took us a while to realize it, but you're right. We've removed the DRM."

      Pirates: "PEDOPHILES! PEDOPHILES! YOU'RE ENCOURAGING AND ASSISTING THE KIDNAPPING OF CHILDREN! Because of this despicable act, I'm going to pirate TWICE as much music now!"

      --
      Sitting in my day care, the art is decopainted.
  2. No worries by Thanshin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Never again buy anything related to music and you'll be safe.

    Alternatively, you can buy music in small stores, in cash. In that case, it's better to wear sunglasses and a hat. You wouldn't want anyone to discover you're one of those people who actually are paying clients of the music industry.

  3. Old News by Star_Gazer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/05/30/2014222

    I think it's OK. Even if I really buy from iTunes to burn a cd as gift, at that point the account info will be gone, so what's the matter?

  4. Old story by rduke15 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is an almost 2 year old story: Apple's DRM Whack-a-Mole (Posted by CmdrTaco on 10.06.2007 17:08)

    If it bothers you to have an identifying tag in your music files, well remove it or overwrite it.
    As far as I understand, it's stored in a standard MP4 atom.

    And if you don't know how to do it, ask Google, or try this suggestion which explains how to use AtomicParsley for windows or mac.