Sony tests DRM with blockchain integration for educational materials

Sony is developing a digital rights management system that uses blockchain technology. Sony Global Education is testing the system for use with digital learning materials.

The manufacturer reports that the new system is partly based on the system that Sony Global Education is already developing for authentication and management of educational data such as school grades and other educational data. That system is made with the IBM Blockchain, which in turn is based on Hyperledger Fabric 1.0 from The Linux Foundation.

The new system is designed for rights management on written work and provides files with information about the date and time data was created. The integration of the blockchain makes it difficult to falsify this information and users of the system must also be able to verify who created certain shared data and when.

According to Sony, the system can be applied to other digital files, such as movies and music. The company is considering deploying the technology in more areas, while Sony Global Education is considering offering the system as a commercial service. It is not yet known when the DRM will come out of the test phase.