I'm diving into a side project where I'm creating a secure video player aimed at making it much harder to download and re-upload videos, with the intention of helping content creators protect their work from leaks and unauthorized sharing.
I understand that if someone can play a video, they could theoretically capture it, but my goal is to add enough friction so that copying becomes a slow and inefficient process for would-be leakers. This project was inspired by noticing how often paid, exclusive content gets leaked mere hours after release, impacting creators' revenue and control over their work.
Here's what I'm trying to achieve:
- Ensure smooth playback for legitimate users.
- Make common methods like "right-click -> save" ineffective.
- Increase the effort needed for casual piracy so it feels not worth the trouble.
However, I'm not claiming to eliminate the possibility of leaks entirely, nor do I think this could replace legal measures or watermarking.
I'm curious about a couple of things:
- Do you think content creators and agencies would actually find this valuable?
- Is the idea of "making it harder" worthwhile if it isn't foolproof?
4 Answers
It sounds like you're heading towards something akin to Digital Rights Management (DRM). If you're serious about this, consider existing solutions like Google's Widevine. Many companies rely on that because they know it's a losing battle trying to build something from scratch—like Netflix, for instance. They choose proven solutions instead of reinventing the wheel, even with their vast resources.
Actually, there are tools like hls.js that can handle various formats, but many downloaders still circumvent these protections easily. Using DRM could indeed complicate things—if that's the route you're considering, you might want to dig into those existing strategies.
Widevine DRM is indeed what a lot of the industry gravitates towards for content protection. Just keep in mind that there are still ways around it, especially with things like screen sharing. But it could be a starting point for your project.
That's good to know, I'll definitely consider that.
Not sure this is really a viable solution. It feels like you're trying to sell a workaround that doesn't address the problem at its core. But hey, if it helps even a bit, it could still be worth exploring!
Thanks for the advice! Guess I'll explore Widevine more.