PledgeBank United States
I’ll do it, but only if you’ll help

Pledge “boycottdrm”

"I will pledge to never purchase a CD containing any form of Digital Rights Management (DRM), but only if 500 people around the world will do the same."

— Elizabeth Stark and Fred Benenson, Freeculture.org (contact)

Deadline to sign up by: 6^th February 2006
4,562 people signed up (4062 over target)

More details
DRM severely restricts our rights as users, creators, and members of the global community. We will not stand by and let fair use grow extinct as a consequence of poorly thought out technology and the laws that support it.

For further information, see http://www.freeculturenyu.org/DRM.

Comments on this pledge

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• interesting article on a non-standard segment of consumers upset by DRM: http://www.techliberation.com/archives/0....
  
  helping to change the perception that it's only college kids who are upset about DRM. so far the music industry has been successful in marginalizing those who are upset by DRM. this pledge and the article above are just the beginning of a groundswell of average customer alienation.
  
  hopefully the music industry continues to do things like rootkit our computers, because when rich people, businesses, and gov't agencies get upset about DRM, things might start to change in the consumer's favor.
  Jeff Hammerbacher, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• i am a musician who writes and records music and apreciates a wide variety of music. i currently own over 200 cds which i have bought and have a list of 300+ more that i intend on buying when funds permit. 200 cds averaging $20 each = $4000 of my money that i have invested in the music industry. invest thousands of dollars in a company and this would normally make you a shareholder. record labels should listen to what we want as if we are shareholders and not just consumer sheep for the financial slaughtering. if thousands of people who average 10cds purchased a year all of a sudden decided for 12+ months to not purchase cds then the industry would crap itself and cry like the fat overstuffed babies that music execs act sometimes. 10,000ppl(a drop in the pond) x 10cds x $20 = $2million. thats in one year, if this started a trend it could be a big problem for them. just a small sum for them to think about!
  music_unites, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• My pledge extends to ALL CDs that involve some form of copy protection or another that surreptitiously takes control of a user's PC/appliances/hardware, not just Music ones. These include: Computer games and software (Some of which has a Sony Rootkit equivalent called StarForce that is more destructive pound for pound), and video CDs (Some of which are region encrypted, so they can never be brought home from an overseas trip as a memento, because they will never work outside of their country).
  
  Whether it is in a destructive manner or not is not the point. The point is that the owner of said hardware and item (and no amount of politicking and lawmaking can ever take the concept of OWNERSHIP away) must always have the last say as to what he wants to do with his own belongings.
  One who wishes only to be known as the Ultimate Chicken, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I will never purchase a DRM CD, not because of this pledge, but because DRM CDs are totally worthless to me. I have no stereo. I only listen to music on my computer and IPOD. If I can't do that with a CD, then the only way I can listen to the music is to download it illegally. I haven't done this yet, but sooner or later I'll have to. RIAA: DRM has made me a pirate. Why would you want to do that? I thought you were against pirarcy!
  Jack Mitchell, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• The media companies need to realize that mass-produced entertainment is not a necessity. If they want us to incorporate it into our lives, then they need to make it easy to do so. If they want to make it hard for me to use something I purchased the way that I want to use it, then I just won't purchase it in the first place, and I have no problem pledging to that effect.
  dalas verdugo, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• DRM affects only those who legally buy their music.
  Andres Gonzalez-Mancera, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Selling CDs with DRM is an unconscionable business practice. A disc with DRM shouldn't be disguised as a 'CD' when containing DRM software that can cripple my computer.
  Ken Moire, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• When the Jon Brion version of the new Fiona Apple CD leaked onto the internet, I downloaded it, but with the explicit promise to myself that I would buy the legal CD the moment it was officially released.
  
  I did. I bought that CD the moment it came out, but the DRM means that I can't play it in my CD player or my car. Which makes it useless to me. And I can't take it back because I opened it.
  
  I refuse to use the little money I have to buy CDs that don't work from companies that treat me like a criminal instead of a fan. I am willing and excited to support artists and their work, but I'd like them and their labels to respect me in return. Or at least give me a product that I can use.
  Emily Smith, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• drm blows
  DR. M Blows, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I also regularly send emails to the record labels who put out CDs I would otherwise buy were it not for the DRM. I let them know that they have lost a sale due to their attempts to control my computer and my uses of my CDs.
  Brian C, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• i dno but...drm kinda messes me up
  Ned Poland, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• ,
  Gregory Yoder, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Unfortunately the pledge is over, but if you'd still like to sign, please *email* freedom@freeculture.org with "DRM Pledge" as the subject line and we'll add you to the list. We're planning on sending it around to the RIAA and other companies invovled with DRMed CDs. Thanks again for all of the support.
  Elizabeth Stark, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I will not buy music with DRM, not on CD and not from Internet. I will continue buying non-DRM CDs and non-DRM digital music album releases.
  
  Please ask your preferred net music store (if it is willing to do non-DRM releases) to offer FLAC music releases - FLAC is an completely open, perfect quality digital media format. See http://flac.sourceforge.net/
  Timo Jyrinki, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I don't even by CDs released by RIAA member companies anymore, to protest the RIAA's strongarm tactics.
  Jon Camfield, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I stopped buying all CDs a couple of years ago. I'd rather listen to the birds...
  Steven Baughman, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• If I but something - it's mine!
  Lee BM Climpson, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• yes, i will not purchase
  Vinod M, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I still buy some CD's, but they must have the CDDA "Compact Disk Digital Audio" trademark, or they don't get my money.
  
  Unsure of what the trademark looks like?
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDDA
  Here you'll find the Phillips "Red Book" requirements in order to carry the trademark. They can NOT contain ANY DRM!
  
  Another option is downloading whole CD's (many of which sell elsewhere under a different label w/DRM) from:
  http://www.magnatune.com
  and other fine indie labels - Search the net "Open Music"!
  
  Only ones not happy with record labels like Magnatune is the RIAA! Magnatune basicly cuts them out of the circle of payment. Another words they get stiffed in the rear, which is what they deserve for doing nothing for anyone but themselves.
  
  The Artists and the Magnatune split the money 50/50 and you pay the price you choose. I generally pay $8.00 and download the full CD Album I've seen elsewhere under BMG (DRM'd to hell) online sites like Amazon (Crapuson u know more like crap on us). This site actually wants you to share the music!
  
  There are many "Open Music" labels openning up these days. We need to support them so the Big Name Artists get a hint and wholesale disembark the RIAA train to DRM Hell!
  Tony Nunes, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• People, we have been sleeping. We have let both our legislators go arwy (via the DMCA) and we have not checked corporate greed.
  
  It is really a simple caclulus: corportations and businesses have EVERY incentive to take away our freedom for profit. We simply cannot let this happen. We begin to stop it here, now, but this is not the end of it. We can reduce DRM to a mere annoyance (because we cannot stop people from implenting copy protection which is what it reduces to if...) by getting our legislators to repeal the Digital Millenium Copyright Act or DMCA. The DMCA is what gives DRM unjustified teeth. It is the law that can punish people for protecting themselves from DRM mal-ware as we recently got from Sony.
  
  The madness must stop: DRM is DRM because of the DMCA. Eliminate the DMCA (among the worst legislation in recent history) and DRM simply becomes copy protection, and copy protection can be circumvented.
  
  Also, donlt let our mistakes get exported! There are treaties in the works (http://www.fsf.org/news/wipo-broadcast-t...)
  that seek to export the badness of the DMCA and make it even worse.
  Jim Powers, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I have little to comment but i think am in line with what Wasubire julius said.
  Kimeze Joshua Mbazira, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I'd like to point out to resources of ethical sites with music:
  
  http://www.jamendo.com/ - this seems a great community if you signup for free of course you get the possibility of downloading either mp3 or ogg and the choice of the way to download
  
  Someone already mentioned magnatunes so not much to say about that
  
  There is also http://www.archive.org/details/opensourc...
  
  Hope you find these usefull at finding free unencumbert music online...
  Andrew Levstik, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• all music is rubbish, and it always has been. There are varying degrees of rubbishness, for instance hip hop and rap are exceptionally rubbish, whereas something like debussy is less rubbish, but its all shite.
  jack glass, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Hi all,
  
  Quick update. We've compiled a partial list of CDs with DRM (primarily in the US, although the project will be expanded worldwide hopefully) at http://www.drmradar.com
  
  The project is in its very early stages, but we'll keep you posted as it progresses.
  Elizabeth Stark, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Re: Remember: DRM = Defective Retail Merchandise.
  
  Amen to that.
  ultimate fighting, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I don`t buy this crap for now and in the future . When I buy a CD or DVD it must play when I want it to play without problems . And if a disc is decrypted or protected in a way then I don`t buy it because I don`t buy crap .
  mutui, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• It shouldn't be named D.R.M, it should have the propper name C.R.A.P. Have a look at:
  
  http://news.zdnet.com/2036-2_22-6035707....
  http://www.p2pnet.net/story/8186
  http://mp3.about.com/b/a/255782.htm
  Anders Jackson, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Digital Restrictions Manage to pollute the environment through wasted and unproductive battery consumption.
  Robert Barat, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• DRM affects only those who legally buy their music .
  Andres Gonzalez-Mancera, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• my site is open for free software foundation.
  
  i never knew that this much mammoth work is being done for free software for people.
  
  i came to gnu when i was in search of some free software.
  
  i thank the team from richard stallman onwards for their great committment.
  
  i can see the future is being made in front of our eyes and the future generations will definitely love what is being done.
  
  long live free software foundation.
  
  p.s: you may please let me know how to put a banner on my site, of course at free of cost.
  
  thank you
  prasad, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• In Thailand, very easy to find illigal song. I don't promote this. I prefer original CD or listen from Radio. Easpecially Muay Thai program.!!
  MuayThai, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• 禁止盗版没有错，但是DRM的侵害消费者自由的方式绝对不会得到支持，我永远不会用包含任意形式的DRM的CD！
  Qidane, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• We all have to refuse DRM because the costs are too high ... and not all people can buy so many CD's they like.
  I can buy one or two per months but if I like have more?
  I must copy it.
  Prestiti, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I won't buy ANY music from the RIAA!
  Michael Kozlowicz, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• thanks for establishing such a site.May the Almighty One bless you.
  Emmanuel WIafe, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Su dai impegnamoci di più.
  lorenza, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• This is why I don't buy CD's any more. I download for FREE using certain unnamed websites and p2p softwares because the RIAA is too greedy. they don't give much loyalties from cd sales to the artists; most of the artists revenue comes from concerts and promotions, etc. The RIAA exists to try and dictate our media and entertainment as well as make even more $$$ than they already have (if they stopped the ridiculous DRM, they would'nt have to pay ridiculous prices to make cd's DRM, saving them $$$ which is all they care about anyway...) On the other hand, most of the CD's I used to buy are by "outdated" artists (contemporary music is contemptible) anyway, so unless they digitaly remaster the cds, they aren't going to be able to do much to dusty old Doors and Bob Dylan cd's
  Arcadia Darrell, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Very nice pledge!!
  Guard, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I have never, and will never purchase a CD restricted by DRM.
  The record companies treat us like criminals, what do they expect... a gift?
  When I pay for a CD, I should be able to convert that music into whatever format I want.
  I buy only genuine music CDs.
  Just my 50 cents.
  Alexander Peterson, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I would never buy a car if the car company tells me " Okay here is your car, you can drive it but dont alter anything in the car!"
  Ashok C. M., 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• I have bourght 1 cd that had DRM on it and also my dad bourght a cd with DRM on it The cd's are red hot chilli pepers and alica keys i ended up downloading them with azures bit torrent, In my eyes i paid for the music and cannot even play them on my computer. On other thing when i just got this bestie boys cd and put it in my linux pc i noticed that it already had ogg vobis and think it had flac all though im not sure, it would be great if all cd's were like this. The DRM people could lern alot from the site www.allofmp3.com it alows you to put the music in any format you want. The only downside is that it isn't 100% legal with the western world but hopefull soon it will.
  Furlow J, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Ci vuole impegno ragazzi. E' una battaglia durissima questa!
  Michele, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Come on, people. Support the indies. They have been promoting unDRM forever. Check sites like http://www.weedshare.com/ www.emusic.com or www.7digital.com. There are no lack of choices out there.
  
  AllofMP3, however, are crooks. I don't see how robbing musicians is supposed to help them.
  Michael, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Great idea! Go on friends! This is good!
  francesca sardi, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• My pledge extends to ALL CDs that involve some form of copy protection or another that surreptitiously takes control of a user's PC/appliances/hardware, not just Music ones. These include: Computer games and software (Some of which has a Sony Rootkit equivalent called StarForce that is more destructive pound for pound), and video CDs (Some of which are region encrypted, so they can never be brought home from an overseas trip as a memento, because they will never work outside of their country). Alice Buses.
  Alice Buses, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• many signers, only the most recent 500 are shown on this page...35 people who did not want to give their names
  
  I will give me name to this list.
  Dodawarka, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• When the Jon Brion version of the new Fiona Apple CD leaked onto the internet, I downloaded it, but with the explicit promise to myself that I would buy the legal CD the moment it was officially released. Greetings
  Pozycjonowanie, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Fantastic article covering some points I really needed
  Markus, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Selling CDs with DRM is an unconscionable business practice. A disc with DRM shouldn't be disguised as a 'CD' when containing DRM software that can cripple my computer.
  zahn, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• DRM affects only those who legally buy their music.
  Jaheswagen, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!