If you read ebooks, you've probably heard the term "DRM," but what is ebook DRM? DRM stands for digital rights management, and it exists to control access to copyrighted materials. Basically, it prevents users from illegally copying and using software and data, such as an ebook.
What does it mean for an ebook to be protected with DRM?
DRM locks a file so that only the person who purchased it can view it, and only on the device or app from that vendor. In other words, if you buy a book on Amazon, you can only read it on your Kindle or your Kindle app. Not only that, but you cannot share the book with others, even if they have the same device (except through Amazon’s limited lending program).
Other restrictions exist: you are limited on how many of your devices you can download the same ebook to at a time, and you cannot print the book (if you can, it will have a watermark or will only allow you to print a small part of it).
Why have ebook DRM?
Authors put a lot of time and money into their novels, and they don’t want those books to be stolen. After all, that money is their livelihood! DRM exists to protect ebooks from being pirated. Unfortunately, since DRM can be broken, it is more of just a deterrent rather than a sure thing. It can also be a hassle for legitimate ebook owners who would like to read their purchased book on various devices.
What ebooks are DRM protected?
Different vendors use different DRM systems to protect ebooks. There are three main systems for ebook DRM.
Amazon DRM
Amazon has their own DRM that they use on all their ebooks, which means you cannot view Kindle books without a Kindle or the Kindle app. You also cannot share books with others by simply copying files over; you must go through Amazon’s lending program, which is limited.
Apple FairPlay DRM
iTunes uses Apple’s own DRM, so those ebooks can only be read on the Apple Books app.
Adobe DRM
The other vendors who use DRM all use Adobe’s. This includes Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and Kobo. Ebooks downloaded from these vendors can be viewed using the vendor’s specific device or app (such as a Nook, the nook app, the Google Play Books app, a Kobo ereader, etc.), OR through Adobe Digital Editions, a software created by Adobe that unlocks DRM. Once you’ve bought a book and opened it on Adobe Digital Editions, it becomes connected with your Adobe account and cannot be opened by anyone else (to prevent sharing it).
No Ebook DRM
All these vendors also offer authors and publishers a "no DRM" option. Few publishers choose this option, but many authors do in order to make it easier for their readers to enjoy their books. Smashwords is currently completely DRM free. This means you can simply copy the file onto the device of your choice (MOBI for Kindle and EPUB for other ereaders) without any problems.
With or Without DRM, Sharing Ebooks is Illegal
Just because a book file doesn't have DRM, doesn't mean you can share the file with others. All books are still copyrighted, and sharing ebooks with people who haven't purchased them is illegal. (Amazon does allow readers to lend some purchased books one time to someone of their choice, but, as stated above, there are strict limitations, and authors/publishers have agreed to the lending.)
You can read more about where and how you can download ebooks for all your devices in our blog post here. Keep in mind that restrictions on where you can download ebooks for each device exist because of DRM.
We hope this post helps clear up any questions about DRM and ebooks, but if you have additional questions or comments, please post them below.
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As someone who uses multiple devices the primary guide for where I buy is if it's DRM-Free (always buy from Baen if available) or how easy their DRM is to crack if that's not an option.
If DRM actually worked I would never buy another eBook again.
I will not pay the same price, sometimes more, for a book that's tied to an ecosystem like Kindle/Kobo/Nook/Adobe.
That last one works on several of my devices, through plugins, but still not all of them.
They can also revoke licenses, sometimes with a refund and sometimes it's just down the memory hole under cover of night, with cloud-based DRM services.
They can't break into your house and steal a physical book you've purchased.
Nice article, waiting for you next article
Are there any apps out there that allow you to WRITE on ebooks? A lot of apps allow annotation but that’s NOTHING like writing on the page and highlighting. I read A LOT and I have lots of books and ebooks. I struggle w ebooks because I can’t just circle. For example, I buy my bible study work books. I should b able to simple fill in the blanks with my thoughts just as if I purchased the paperback. They both cost the same but I can’t keep up w all the paper books in my life.... anyone out there w a solution??
One thing to note is that when you buy a print book, if you lend it to twenty people or more, it eventually falls apart and a new copy has to be purchased. Libraries rebuy books all the time. But even if you only lend an ebook to one person at a time, you could do so indefinitely to everyone in the world (given enough time), and the book would never fall apart. But the publisher/author would receive significantly lower proceeds and wouldn't be able to afford to continue. Lending only works in an author's favor if people then go on to buy the book or the sequels. But if only one person buys an ebook and lends it to ten people, who each lend it to ten people and so on (and everyone keeps it), we could reach a scenario where authors couldn't survive or ebooks would have to be super expensive. (Just throwing extremes out there to show what could happen.)
I get my books from Amazon, Smashwords, Instafreebie, Bookfunnel, plus from some authors but I use four different devices to read on so that must be why I get that every great once in awhile. It would be nice to have an idea of how many of our own personal devices we can have them downloaded on though.
Nonsense. When I lend someone an e-book, I have no access to my copy for the duration of the loan. I can only loan a book to each person once for a limited time (1 week, I believe) and there are not only a limited amount of times that I can loan it overall, there is also a limited amount of times that I can read it. You never actually own a copy of your ebook, it's more like a time-share.
That's absolutely correct if you are using Amazon's lending program. It seems to have been created to somewhat mimic what would happen when lending a hard-copy book.
But if you buy a DRM free ebook, you could email that ebook to everyone in the world; or make it available somewhere on the web for free. This is of course illegal, but it is possible, and it is this scenario that DRM attempts to prevent.
BTW, I'm not aware of any time limits on ebooks I've purchased.
This so does not make sense - if I buy a hard copy of a book - I can let anyone borrow it BUT if it's an ebook I can't? There is absolutely no logic to that - so - makes total sense to always buy a hard copy!!! And if an author is only available in an ebook - don't read them....
A hard-copy, once lent, is no longer in our possession. The same is not true of an ebook: it can be “lent” (which really means “copied”) to an unlimited number of people. Keep in mind that it is just as illegal to copy a hard-copy book as it is to copy an ebook, however, for the average person, copying a hard-copy book would be more expensive than buying the actual book – not so with ebooks.
Not all ebooks have DRM. As the article explained, the larger publishing houses do usually DRM their books, but indie authors and smaller publishing houses often do not. Just check the ebook details.
Really, really well said, Tony!
The issue with sharing a copy of an ebook is you paid for 1 copy not multiple copies, true you can share your hard copy all you want but it is still 1 copy not multiple
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE...but I buy A LOT OF EBOOKS....I just don't understand WHY we cannot share them...you would think the Author would want as much publicity for that book....regardless. I ALSO BUY A TON OF BOOKS AND LEND THEM OUT....so I don't understand why they would have a DRM on any of them.....as you said, when we buy books, we can lend them to anyone, isn't this the same thing? I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ON THE HARDBACK or paperback option....then they only tell you not to copy it in any way. THIS IS CRAZY......
Hi Roxane
If you share a book you could do it with one person and you cannot read it in the same time. An electronic paper could be give to 100 persons and more without problems.