14 DAY TRIAL // As expected, unfortunately, HTML DRM is moving forward unopposed on its way to becoming a World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standard. The Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) proposal will continue to be worked upon and will likely be part of the upcoming HTML5.1 standard. The seal of approval came directly from World Wide Web creator and W3C director Tim Berners-Lee.
EME makes it possible to add DRM to HTML5 video streams, locking the streams away behind encryption and only making them available to users who have installed the necessary plugin or app. This, while the web is finally starting to get rid of plugins.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation officially opposed the inclusion of EME in any W3C standard, but that objection has now been rejected, paving the way for HTML DRM. While those pushing for adoption have been wary of calling it DRM, saying that EME by default doesn't actually include any DRM scheme, the distinction is mostly a technicality.
EME, which makes it possible to load certain types of plugins for video content, will only have one purpose, that to run DRM plugins.
Netflix, Google, and Microsoft are the big supporters of this new technology. In fact, Chrome has had support for EME since the beginning of the year, making it possible for a Netflix app to run on Chromebooks. Netflix usually relies on Microsoft's Silverlight for playback. The video service has to add DRM to the streams as part of its deals with Hollywood and video content providers.
Internet Explorer will support EME as well and it looks like Opera will, too. Apple hasn't been involved in the discussions so far, but the company is usually supportive of corporate interests, so Safari will likely add support as well. This only leaves Mozilla as the single big browser maker which will definitely not include EME support in its browser, Firefox.