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I'm new to this whole subject so bear with me please. I want to sell and share videos with customers but I don't want them to be able to share those videos with anyone else.

I thought that this was what encrypting did but I think I'm wrong.

I have Silverlight by Microsoft to do this but I need to know if it will work and second if I send an encrypted video to the buyer will he be able to watch it?

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  • You can use some form of draconian DRM that also prevents screen capture, but there are still ways around it (including the low tech one of using a video camera of course). Ultimately you have to decide how much copy protection is worth to you and how much you're willing to invest in it, but you'll still be fighting a losing battle if people really do want to pirate your content.
    – Karan
    Jun 6, 2015 at 2:01
  • Im aware they can share by capturing it on the screen, but otherwise will encrypting work? Will they be able to watch it?
    – chris
    Jun 6, 2015 at 2:01
  • Yes, you can require that they download a license to view your DRMed videos in something like Windows Media Player for example.
    – Karan
    Jun 6, 2015 at 2:03
  • Is that free to them?
    – chris
    Jun 6, 2015 at 2:05
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    Keep in mind, while DRM uses data encryption to do its job, the decryption engine needs to operate in rather special ways to allow licensed users to view it, prevent unlicensed users, and (most complicatedly) prevent licensed users means for decrypting the file to fall into the wrong hands. DRM doesn't fail because of bad encryption, it fails because of bad decryption, and the fact that protecting yourself at the expense of your customers is a bad business practice, so you have to add so many holes, that it becomes very difficult to secure. that and it is evil. I wish I could wish you luck. Jun 6, 2015 at 5:45

2 Answers 2

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It is possible to encrypt videos with Silverlight. Netflix used to use Silverlight to send encrypted videos. Still, people can capture the video. Anything that an end user can see can be captured. There is no way around it.

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  • if I encrypt it can they play it when I share it
    – chris
    Jun 6, 2015 at 1:59
  • they can still capture that video and share it themselves
    – Keltari
    Jun 6, 2015 at 2:23
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    there is an old axiom that is pretty much a law of computer science: if a party can see the data, under any set of circumstances, they can use that data. Or more aptly put: "If you see it, you can pirate it." Jun 6, 2015 at 5:47
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To answer your question: Yes, you can send encrypted video with Silverlight and your customers will be able to watch it with a Silverlight player.

The whole DRM thing is explained in this Microsoft document – and obviously, it's complicated enough not to include all the details here.

Note that even in non-streaming (i.e.) offline scenarios, you can offer users licenses or other DRM schemes. This is also explained in the above document under section 3.

Now, keep in mind that you will:

  • force users to use a Silverlight player, which many will not want to install
  • have to implement a complicated DRM scheme
  • eventually have users who can still bypass that scheme

Often, the key to success for some businesses is to not enforce DRM but rather have the users pay if they really like your product, and let the remainder share the videos – which also means free promotion.

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