Re: Encrypted Media proposal (was RE: ISSUE-179: av_param - Chairs Solicit Alternate Proposals or Counter-Proposals)

The accessibility issues discussed in the articles below are important for web video. Improving accessibility is a big motivation for preferring to deploy protected content with HTML5 standard media elements instead of continuing with the object element as today. When using object element plug-ins, no data is available via any of the standard media elements. For example, captions handled via proprietary plug-in APIs and are invisible to any accessibility software looking at timed text tracks. Alternatively, playing protected media via HTML5 video elements would make captions, audio description, languages, etc. available through the same APIs for protected and non-protected content. So, moving protected content from the object element to the HTML5 media elements will improve accessibility on the web and address many of the issues in the articles cited.

Thanks,
mav

On Feb 26, 2012, at 9:08 AM, Benjamin Hawkes-Lewis wrote:

> On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 11:31 PM, Glenn Adams <glenn@skynav.com> wrote:
>> The purpose of DRM/CP is to provide a
>> mechanism to ensure that access to content is authorized, and not whether or
>> not it is "accessible" in the sense of supporting impaired users.
> 
> Regardless as to whether Ian's ethical analogy between access to
> people with disabilities and fair use is valid, it's worth remembering
> that DRM often goes hand-in-hand with a reduction in real-world
> accessibility. Please see for example:
> 
>    * http://www.ala.org/ala//aboutala/offices/oitp/emailtutorials/accessibilitya/10.cfm
>    * http://nfb.org/librarian-congress-says-blind-have-right-access-e-books
>    * http://joeclark.org/access/resources/DRM.html
> 
> --
> Benjamin Hawkes-Lewis
> 

Received on Monday, 27 February 2012 19:20:21 UTC