I just saw
https://hacks.mozilla.org/2014/05/reconciling-mozillas-mission-and-w3c-eme/
and I'm a bit concerned.

Obviously, it will be simple enough for Tor Browser and other Free/Libre
Firefox derivatives to disable this DRM mechanism, but I'm worried about
the long term effects of giving the web a persistent device identifier
(which that blog post mentions, but I can't find direct reference to in
the EME draft spec).

It seems to me that a device identifier will quickly be abused by more
than just streaming media sites. What will prevent banking sites,
government sites, and even sites that are simply hostile to privacy from
requiring the receipt of a device id before allowing access to their
content? I've already encountered sites that require me to view a
full-page captive advertisement prior to viewing their content. It does
not seem too much of a stretch for this type of captive advertisement to
use EME to obtain a device identifier as part of this process, too.

Worse: if this does happen, and a Firefox addon, Tor Browser, or other
Firefox derivative decides to alter the behavior of this device
identifier to bring it fully under user control, will we be violating
the DMCA by creating a 'circumvention device'?

Have these issues been considered?


-- 
Mike Perry

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