Yahoo, the Internet behemoth, is selling Jessica Simpson’s single A Public Affair as a music download with no digital rights management (DRM) restrictions, marking the first time the company has offered audio content from a major record label without copy protection, BBC News reports.The MP3 file can be played on any digital music player, including the uber-popular iPod from Apple Computer. Currently, Apple’s iTunes Music Store sells content that can be downloaded only to its iPod music players.Music industry heavies have been hesitant to allow their content to be sold without DRM due to concerns over piracy and file sharing. Simpson released her new track under Sony BMG, according to BBC News, and the record label’s move suggests the industry may finally be ready to experiment with DRM-free music downloads.DRM systems can come in the form of specific file formats to restrict playback of content on certain machines, or they can be built into the players themselves. Ian Rogers, director of product management with Yahoo, wrote on the official Yahoo blog, “Our position is simple: DRM doesn’t add value for the artist, label (who are selling DRM-free music every day—the Compact Disc) or consumer, the only people it adds value to are the technology companies who are interested in locking consumers to a particular technology platform.”Sites like Wippit and eMusic already offer some MP3s without DRM, though the content in such downloads is typically from independent labels, according to BBC News. A Public Affair costs $1.99 to download, and it can be customized before its purchase to include the buyer’s name within the lyrics, BBC News reports.Check out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content brandpost Sponsored by Freshworks When your AI chatbots mess up AI ‘hallucinations’ present significant business risks, but new types of guardrails can keep them from doing serious damage By Paul Gillin Dec 08, 2023 4 mins Generative AI brandpost Sponsored by Dell New research: How IT leaders drive business benefits by accelerating device refresh strategies Security leaders have particular concerns that older devices are more vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. By Laura McEwan Dec 08, 2023 3 mins Infrastructure Management case study Toyota transforms IT service desk with gen AI To help promote insourcing and quality control, Toyota Motor North America is leveraging generative AI for HR and IT service desk requests. By Thor Olavsrud Dec 08, 2023 7 mins Employee Experience Generative AI ICT Partners feature CSM certification: Costs, requirements, and all you need to know The Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification sets the standard for establishing Scrum theory, developing practical applications and rules, and leading teams and stakeholders through the development process. By Moira Alexander Dec 08, 2023 8 mins Certifications IT Skills Project Management Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe