After over ten years of covering the digital reading world - e-readers and ebooks (mostly in French) - I thought I had seen it all when it comes to DRM. But an important development is shaking things up.
We know that change can be slow, even in the tech world, and even more so in the book industry. The matter of managing digital rights for ebooks seemed settled for a while, with Adobe reigning for about 20 years.
What's a DRM?
The software that manages an ebook's usage rights is called a "DRM." Think of DRM as a digital lock on a book to: prevent easy copying and free sharing, ensure it's used only on authorized devices (like e-readers, tablets, etc.).
Basically, it's a protection so authors and publishers get paid and to combat piracy. But it can be a bit restrictive for buyers, sometimes limiting where and how you can read the book you bought.
This is why ebooks bought for Kindle on Amazon aren’t compatible with Kobo devices, for example.
Adobe DRM: The Obstacle for Readers
The main DRM is from software giant Adobe. It's called ADE (or ACSM) and it's found on Kindle, Kobo, Pocketbook, or Nook devices.
When you buy an ebook online protected by Adobe’s DRM, you can theoretically read it on a compatible device.
But in practice, it’s often a hassle: installing software on your computer, creating an account, authorizing your e-reader to use that account, needing an internet connection, etc. And you go through this again, sometimes worse, when you switch e-readers, redoing everything if you want to keep access to your digital books.
I have lost count of how many issues I’ve cataloged and the numerous emails I’ve received about Adobe DRM problems. Check out this forum post to see just how widespread these issues are!
Note: Contacting me won't help. The best option is to reach out to Adobe, the book vendor, or the publisher. If you're still stuck, get a refund.
End in Sight Thanks to LCP?
Have you heard of NetGalley? It's an online platform that connects authors and publishers with influential readers - like book bloggers, journalists, booksellers, librarians, and teachers - offering free digital copies of books before they’re published. The aim is to spread the word and create positive buzz before the official release.
NetGalley just completely dropped Adobe Digital Edition DRM ("ADE") for a new one called LCP—which isn't that new, as we'll see.
This is interesting since NetGalley has made protecting literary works a key trust point for book professionals. This switch proves there's a simpler alternative to Adobe for managing DRM.
LCP: The DRM of the Future
LCP is not new, and I’ve discussed it a lot. A French company called TEA (now Vivlio) was among the first globally to use this DRM widely in 2015, initially called "CARE," (article in French) and more recently, implemented the latest LCP version in all Vivlio e-readers.
The advantage of LCP is that it simplifies user management while still offering strong copy protection.
LCP also supports library borrowing and allows you to use and read the ebook on all LCP-compatible devices.
LCP is already compatible with Vivlio, Pocketbook, and Bookeen e-readers. You can learn more from this short article in English: Readium LCP.
If all e-reader brands switch to LCP, ebooks will be compatible with all devices!
Now, it’s just a matter of convincing Kindle and Kobo to adopt LCP, finally resolving one of the big hurdles in digital reading that still limits e-reader adoption worldwide.
Especially since Kobo users who also use NetGalley aren't happy and are loudly asking Kobo to adopt LCP too (see on Reddit).
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