Glossary
The vocabulary, defined.
An A–Z of anti-piracy, takedown and content-protection terminology, in plain language.
A
B
C
- CamcordingCamcording is the unauthorised recording of a film or live performance from inside a cinema or venue, usually with a portable camera or a phone.
- Conditional Access SystemA conditional access system (CAS) controls which pay-TV or media services a receiver can descramble, according to the entitlements the viewer has been authorised to receive.
- Content FingerprintingContent fingerprinting derives a compact signature from what a piece of media contains, whether video, audio, images or text, that can be compared with reference signatures to identify matching media.
- Content KeyA content key is the cryptographic key used to encrypt and decrypt protected media; players receive it, usually wrapped inside a DRM licence, only after their request has been authorised.
- Content PiracyContent piracy is the unauthorised reproduction or distribution of films, television, music, books, games and other protected media.
- CyberlockerA cyberlocker is an online file-hosting service that stores uploaded files and provides links that other people can use to download or stream them.
D
- DMCAThe Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a 1998 United States copyright law whose notice-and-takedown process lets rights holders request the removal of infringing content hosted by online service providers.
- DRM LicenseA DRM licence (often spelled license) is the message a licence server sends to a player containing the protected content key and the permissions for using it, such as expiry, output restrictions and device binding.
- Digital PiracyDigital piracy is the unauthorised copying, distribution, sale or access of protected digital content, whether it happens online or through offline digital copies.
- Digital Rights ManagementDigital rights management (DRM) is the set of technical controls used to govern access to, copying of and use of protected digital content, typically by encrypting it and releasing keys only to authorised devices under set rules.
- Digital WatermarkingDigital watermarking embeds identifying information into the media itself so that ownership, the distribution route or the source of a copy can be checked later.
- Direct Download LinkA direct download link points to a file that can be retrieved straight away, without passing through the page that originally presented it.
- Distributed Hash TableA distributed hash table (DHT) is a decentralised lookup system that BitTorrent clients use to discover peers for a given piece of content without relying on a central tracker.
- Dynamic WatermarkA dynamic watermark is a mark that changes over time, position or between viewers, which makes it harder to remove and more useful for tracing a recording than a fixed mark.
E
- Ebook PiracyEbook piracy is the unauthorised copying or distribution of digital books and other electronic publications, whether the copy comes from a retail ebook or a scan of a printed edition.
- EncryptionEncryption transforms readable data into ciphertext that can be restored to its original form only with the appropriate cryptographic key.
F
- File LockerA file locker is a hosted online storage service used to upload files and share access to them through links.
- Forensic WatermarkingForensic watermarking embeds an imperceptible, unique identifier into each copy or stream of media so that a leaked copy can be traced back to the recipient, device or session it was delivered to.
H
I
K
- Key RotationKey rotation replaces the cryptographic keys protecting content on a schedule or during a session, so that a compromised key exposes only a limited portion of the content.
- Kodi BoxA Kodi box is a device running Kodi media-centre software; it becomes piracy-related only when configured with unauthorised sources or add-ons.
L
- LeecherA leecher is a BitTorrent participant that is still downloading pieces of a file; the term is also used critically for a peer that contributes little upload capacity.
- License ServerA licence server (often spelled license server) checks each playback request and, if it is authorised, issues the DRM licence or key information a player needs to decrypt protected content.
- Link AggregatorA link aggregator collects and organises links to material hosted on other websites or storage services, usually without storing the files itself.
- Live Stream PiracyLive stream piracy is the unauthorised retransmission of a live broadcast, such as a match, fight or concert, while the original event is taking place.
M
- Magnet LinkA magnet link identifies peer-to-peer content by a cryptographic hash, allowing a BitTorrent client to find it without first downloading a torrent file.
- Mirror SiteA mirror site is a copy of another website hosted at a different domain or server, often created to preserve access after disruption.
- Music PiracyMusic piracy is the unauthorised copying, distribution, downloading or streaming of protected sound recordings or musical compositions.
O
P
- Peer-to-Peer NetworkA peer-to-peer network lets participating devices exchange data directly with each other instead of receiving every file from one central server.
- Pirate IPTVPirate IPTV is an unauthorised internet television service that redistributes channels or on-demand content without the required rights, usually in exchange for a subscription fee.
- Pre-Release LeakA pre-release leak is the unauthorised disclosure or distribution of protected content before its scheduled publication or launch.
- Proxy SiteA proxy site relays a user's request to another service and passes back the response, allowing the destination to be reached indirectly, often under a different domain.
R
- Release GroupA release group is an organised group that prepares and distributes unauthorised digital copies of films, series, music, games or software under a shared name or tag.
- RestreamingRestreaming is receiving a stream and transmitting it again to another audience or platform. In a piracy context it means retransmitting a broadcast or live event without the rights holder's authorisation.
- ReuploadA reupload is a new upload of material that was previously posted or removed, often under a different URL, account or filename.
S
- Screener LeakA screener leak is the unauthorised release of a review, awards, sales or preview copy of a work that was supplied to a limited audience before or during its official release.
- SeedboxA seedbox is a remotely hosted server, usually rented from a hosting provider, that is optimised for high-speed downloading and uploading on peer-to-peer networks such as BitTorrent.
- SeederA seeder is a BitTorrent participant that has the complete file and continues uploading its pieces to other peers in the swarm.
- Session WatermarkA session watermark is a unique identifier embedded in the media delivered during a single viewing session, so that a pirated copy or restream can be traced back to that session and the account behind it.
- Software PiracySoftware piracy is the unauthorised copying, distribution, activation or use of software.
- Stream-RippingStream-ripping is capturing audio or video from a streaming service and saving it as a downloadable file, without the authorisation of the rights holder or the service.
- Streaming PiracyStreaming piracy is the unauthorised delivery or viewing of copyrighted audio or video as a continuous online stream, usually in a browser, app or set-top device rather than as a downloaded file.
- SwarmA swarm is the group of peers, seeders and leechers together, sharing the same content through BitTorrent at a particular time.
T
- Torrent FileA torrent file is a small metadata file that describes content shared through BitTorrent, including the hashes of its pieces, and tells compatible software how to find and verify those pieces.
- Torrent PiracyTorrent piracy is the unauthorised sharing of copyrighted files through BitTorrent or another peer-to-peer distribution system.
- Torrent TrackerA torrent tracker is a service that helps BitTorrent peers discover other peers participating in the same transfer; the word is also used loosely for torrent index communities, especially private ones.
V
- Video FingerprintingVideo fingerprinting derives compact signatures from the visual or audiovisual features of a video so that copies, including edited or re-encoded ones, can be recognised by comparison with reference fingerprints.
- Video Game PiracyVideo game piracy is the unauthorised copying, distribution, modification or use of a game and its protected assets.
- Visible WatermarkA visible watermark is a logo, label or identifier deliberately displayed on top of an image or video so that anyone viewing it can see who owns or distributed it.
W
- What Is Collective Work?What Is Collective Work? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Contributory Infringement?What Is Contributory Infringement? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Copyright Holder?What Is Copyright Holder? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Copyright Infringement?What Is Copyright Infringement? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Copyright Notice?What Is Copyright Notice? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Copyright Owner?What Is Copyright Owner? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Copyright Registration?What Is Copyright Registration? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Copyright Term?What Is Copyright Term? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Copyright?What Is Copyright? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is DMCA Counter Notice?What Is DMCA Counter Notice? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is DMCA Misrepresentation?What Is DMCA Misrepresentation? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is DMCA Safe Harbor?What Is DMCA Safe Harbor? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is DMCA Subpoena?What Is DMCA Subpoena? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is DMCA Takedown Notice?What Is DMCA Takedown Notice? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Derivative Work?What Is Derivative Work? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Designated Copyright Agent?What Is Designated Copyright Agent? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Direct Infringement?What Is Direct Infringement? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Distribution Right?What Is Distribution Right? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Exclusive Rights?What Is Exclusive Rights? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Fair Use?What Is Fair Use? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is First Sale Doctrine?What Is First Sale Doctrine? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Fixation?What Is Fixation? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Moral Rights?What Is Moral Rights? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Originality?What Is Originality? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Public Domain?What Is Public Domain? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Public Performance Right?What Is Public Performance Right? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Repeat Infringer Policy?What Is Repeat Infringer Policy? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Reproduction Right?What Is Reproduction Right? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Secondary Infringement?What Is Secondary Infringement? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Substantial Similarity?What Is Substantial Similarity? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Vicarious Infringement?What Is Vicarious Infringement? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
- What Is Work Made for Hire?What Is Work Made for Hire? is a term used in online copyright enforcement and content protection.
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