Why We Are Voting Against the W3C Decision on Encrypted Media Extensions
There is a big controversy in the technical standards area that impacts accessibility of content in web browsers. Ars Technica covered this recently in their post: Over many objections, W3C approves DRM for HTML5 . Benetech is voting against the W3C decision on Encrypted Media Extensions (EME). Here is the statement that will accompany our vote: EME should not become a W3C Recommendation without adding provisions that safeguard the rights of accessibility and security researchers to do their job without risking prosecution under the DMCA and similar national legislation.These types of provisions are already implemented around patents connected to standards work, and we believe accessibility professionals deserve similar protections. DRM has been the enemy of accessibility, not to mention the ugly compromise DRM represents to technical excellence and freedom. EME’s reason to exist is to implement DRM. EME is irrevocably tainted from an accessibility ...