DRM, which stands for Digital Rights Management, helps to protect the copyright of digital material by defining how the content can be used legally. DRM restricts illegal distribution of music in several ways:

• Restricts playback to a computer with a valid license.
• Limits the number of times a track can be transferred to portable devices.
• Can limit the amount of plays of one file.
• Can create a temporary audio file with an expiry date (usually used for promotional purposes).
  
  

You should always check the restrictions prior to purchasing any content.

Audio files purchased at BBC Shop use Microsoft DRM 10. DRM encrypts each digital media file so that only those people who have legally acquired a license can play the file.

Only Windows Media Player version 10 or above can play encrypted files which have been downloaded from BBC Shop. Only Windows Media Player version 10 or above can copy downloaded files to portable media devices. NOTE: Due to the nature of Windows DRM 10 and its incompatibility with Apple’s DRM, BBC Shop digital downloads WILL NOT WORK on Apple iPods.