Encrypted Media Extensions a W3C Recommendation

Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) have been under review by the W3C AdvisoryCommittee since last March. This reportfrom the committee addresses comments and objections to EME."After consideration of the issues, the Director reached a decisionthat the EME specification should move to W3C Recommendation. The EncryptedMedia Extensions specification remains a better alternative for users thanother platforms, including for reasons of security, privacy, andaccessibility, by taking advantage of the Web platform. While additionalwork in some areas may be beneficial for the future of the Web Platform, itremains appropriate for the W3C to make the EME specification a W3CRecommendation. Formal publication of the W3C Recommendation will happen ata later date. We encourage W3C Members and the community to work in bothtechnical and policy areas to find better solutions in this space."

The Free Software Foundation's Defective by Design campaign opposesEME arguing that it infringes on Web users' control of their owncomputers, and weakens their security and privacy. "Opponents' last opportunity to stop EME is an appeal by the Advisory Committee of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the body which Tim Berners-Lee heads. Requiring 5% of the Committee's 475 members (corporate, nonprofit, and educational institutions) to sign on within a two-week period, the appeal would then trigger a vote from the whole Committee to make a final decision to ratify or reject EME."