How To Copy Protect Training Courses
The most commonly used media for course material are PDF, video and LMS.
Learning Management System (LMS)
A learning management system (LMS) is a solution for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting and delivery of educational courses, training programs or learning programs. Such solutions are usually integrated with a content management system (CMS) like WordPress, Moodle, etc. Some CMS solutions like Moodle are specially designed to serve as an LMS and not much else. Alternatively, WordPress is designed to create websites with a choice of themes to cater for different scenarios, and plugins are available to incorporate a LMS.
The most important ingredient of any LMS is user management where each student can be assigned a membership role - as a member of a course or group, and the lessons available to them can be accessible by belonging to that same course or group.
Moodle is especially designed for course management, but it can be complex and not management-friendly. Consequently WordPress is more commonly used for smaller enterprises.
Either way "user management" is the key for any training course and the simplest solution, especially for new startups, is to use DRM. In fact DRM can be used on its own - without a LMS or a website at all.
Digital Rights Management (DRM)
Digital Rights Management (DRM) can be applied to web pages, PDF and video. Real DRM identifies users by their unique computer signature, thus preventing the sharing of passwords and unauthorized use. Course material published on web pages is easy to update and subscribers always get the latest content.
Course material in the form of PDF and video can be read from a web page or it can be displayed on the desktop, making it available for offline reading (no Internet).
ArtistScope DRM comes in two flavors:
- LIVE - the media checks the DRM server every time it is read/played enabling authors total control over any changes made to the status of the user or the media.
- OFFLINE - when offline the media checks for a DRM Token stored in the same location as the media.
Authors need to enable offline DRM per media/collection because it does have some limitations, namely that users need to claim their DRM Tokens while online, and once installed, the author loses the ability to change a user's rights to use that media, for example, should a student breach their terms of use, they cannot be cancelled.
Without A Website
Most online courses begin with a website. However by using DRM it is possible to manage an online course from social media alone. For example, by using CopySafe PDF or CopySafe Video you can use the provided DRM Portal to add and manage users, media, groups, DRM tokens and even sell subscriptions via the online store - all you will need is an email address and a PayPal account. DRM protected PDF and video can sold from any online store that allows uploads for distribution as a ZIP file - compressed archive that contains your PDF, lessons, instructions, etc.
With A Website
If you already have a web site or plan to create a website, the type of webhosting you use will affect the choices available to you, for example: -
Dedicated Server or VPS
With a dedicated server or VPS you have:
- The freedom to choose OS, server distribution, CMS and/or LMS.
- The freedom to customize the CMS or LMS, or roll your own.
- The rights to install software of your own choice at system level.
- The rights to use the ArtistScope Site Protection System (ASPS)
The ArtistScope Site Protection System (ASPS) is a server module that encrypts web pages that are tagged for protection. ASPS web pages can only be decrypted and displayed by the ArtisBrowser, and while on display in the ArtisBrowser, nothing can be saved or copied in any way, including screenshots, screen recording and web scraping. In effect ASPS creates a secure tunnel between server and the user's desktop in which nothing can be exploited.
One of the benefits of using ASPS is that it ca be applied to any page and copy protection applies to the web page content including text, images, PDF and video - without the need to encrypt media. Media like videos which are data intensive can be hosted anywhere.
Without a dedicated server, the benefits of ASPS copy protection can still be used by enjoyed by using a Safeguard Media or Guest Video service that run from an ArtistScope ASPS server.
For more information including online demos and pricing, see the ArtistScope Site Protection System web page.
Shared Webhosting
Shared webhosting is where a webhost provides hosting for your website on server shared by many other websites. Shared webhosting can be "barebones" which means that you get to upload any type of web content that you like whether that be a static html pages, custom CMS or one of the popular CMS like WordPress, Moodle, etc.
Shared webhosting can also include a ready-made core - for example, WordPress can already be installed and all you need to do is create web pages from its online editor.
To add DRM and copy protection to a CMS like WordPress, Moodle, Drupal or Joomla you can install website plugins for the solutions mentioned below. Note that some webhosting services like WIX are useless for copy protection because clients are unable to modify the website core that renders the pages.
CopySafe PDF Protection
CopySafe PDF software encrypts PDF documents for range of scenarios:
- Desktop reading via the CopySafe PDF Reader with/without DRM.
- Online reading via the CopySafe PDF Reader with/without DRM.
- Online reading via the ArtisBrowser (all OS and devices including mobile).
- Offline reading from USB via the ArtisBrowser (all OS and devices).
CopySafe PDF plugins are available for WordPress, Moodle, Drupal, Joomla and DNN.
The CopySafe PDF Protector and Reader software are FREE software. However licensing is required for the Protector software to unlock additional features. For more information including online demos, software downloads, user-guides and pricing, see the CopySafe PDF Protection web page.
CopySafe Video Protection
CopySafe Video software encrypts video files for range of scenarios:
- Desktop reading via the CopySafe Video Player with/without DRM.
- Online reading via the CopySafe Video Player with/without DRM.
- Online reading via the ArtisBrowser (all OS and devices including mobile).
- Offline reading from USB via the ArtisBrowser (all OS and devices).
CopySafe Video plugins are available for WordPress, Moodle, Drupal and Joomla. The CopySafe Video Encoder and Player software are FREE software. However licensing is required for the Encoder software to unlock additional features. For more information including online demos, software downloads, user-guides and pricing, see the CopySafe Video Protection web page.
CopySafe Web Protection
CopySafe Web software encrypts images that add copy protection to any web page:
- Desktop reading via the CopySafe Video Player with/without DRM.
- Online reading via the CopySafe Video Player with/without DRM.
- Online reading via the ArtisBrowser (all OS and devices including mobile).
- Offline reading from USB via the ArtisBrowser (all OS and devices).
CopySafe Web plugins are available for WordPress, Moodle, Drupal, Joomla and DNN.
The CopySafe Web Converter is FREE software. However licensing is required to unlock additional features. For more information including online demos, software downloads, user-guides and pricing, see the CopySafe Web Protection web page.
Protected File Hosting
Guest.video provides a copy protected file hosting service for PDF, video and web pages. PDF and video files are hosted on an ArtistScope ASPS server for display on your website that can be DRM and copy protected according to your requirements. The Guest Video plugin is available for WordPress for embedding protected media into web pages and posts.
Alternatively, you can create standalone web pages with DRM applied that can be used for subscriptions that can be managed from your online dashboard, ie: no website is required - online store is provided for sales and subscriber management.
The Guest Video plugin is available for WordPress. For more information including online demos and pricing, see the Guest Video web page.
Safeguard DRM
The Safeguard DRM plugin for WordPress adds DRM protection to any web page or post. Authors are provided an online Control Panel for managing subscriptions and DRM tokens. For more information including online demos, plugin download and pricing, see the Safeguard DRM web page.
Safeguard Media
The Safeguard Media plugin for WordPress and Moodle adds copy protected media to any web page or post via an ASPS server. Media suitable for embedding include all types of images, PDF and MP4 video - media can be hosted anywhere. For more information including online demos, plugin downloads and pricing, see the Safeguard Media web page.
Safeguard Webmail
Safeguard Webmail is a one-of-a-kind mail service that runs as a Webmail client similar to what Gmail provides. It is most unique because it is the only copy protected mail service available today - nothing can be saved, shared, copied or exploited in any way - what is displayed in your message stays in your message.
The Safeguard Webmail dashboard provides authors with everything needed for user and group management with options for DRM and copy protection. For more information and pricing, see the Safeguard Webmail web page.
Web Browser Support
The bad news for anyone wanting to copy protect web content is that the popular web browsers are totally useless - they are all designed at cross purposes - to download, save, copy and otherwise exploit anything that they can access on the web.
However the good news is that all of our solutions can use the ArtisBrowser - a secure web browser especially designed to copy protect web content. ArtisBrowser is currently available for all OS including Windows, Mac OSX, iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android phones. A Linux version is coming.
Consultation
Free advice by email is available for all DRM and copy protection matters, but before contacting us, we recommend that you re-read this article and page links related to your scenario so that your need is clear to you. Only then can we advise what is best.
FAQ
Q1. Do all of these solutions prevent copy by PrintScreen and screen recording?
Yes. All of these solutions provide incomparable copy protection, except for Safeguard DRM - DRM protects "access rights" but it does not prevent "copy".
Q2. Are any of these copy protection solutions free?
Yes. All CopyCafe solutions are free to use. The encryption software can be used for free and the CMS plugins to use on your website are free.
Q3. Is a website needed for a protected training course?
No. By using Guest Video, Safeguard Webmail or a Copysafe solution, all you need is a device (computer/phone) connected to the Internet to manage your subscriptions and media.
Q4. Does ArtistScope provide web hosting services?
Yes. But only for copy protected content. The Guest Video service provides hosting for media files and web pages that are DRM and/or copy protected.
Q5. How do other copy protect solutions compare with the above?
While there may be many imitations of our solutions available today, their clients eventually find their way here.
