--- title: "MPAA Joins Web Standards Group Amid Digital Rights Controversy" id: "21168" type: "post" slug: "mpaa-joins-web-standards-group-amid-digital-rights-controversy" published_at: "2014-01-10T21:08:06+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T03:28:50+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/01/10/mpaa-joins-web-standards-group-amid-digital-rights-controversy/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/01/10/mpaa-joins-web-standards-group-amid-digital-rights-controversy.md" excerpt: "The World Wide Web Consortium, which has been considering controversial new digital rights management rules, says the Motion Picture Association of America—which has a vested interest in DRM—joined the group this week. Technology critics are skeptical." taxonomy_category: - "Advocacy" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "digital rights" - "MPAA" - "Standards" - "Technology" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » MPAA Joins Web Standards Group Amid Digital Rights Controversy ## The World Wide Web Consortium, which has been considering controversial new digital rights management rules, says the Motion Picture Association of America—which has a vested interest in DRM—joined the group this week. Technology critics are skeptical. The ongoing fight by the Motion Picture Association of America against online piracy hasn’t won it a lot of friends among the tech-oriented. The conflict was on particularly heated during the MPAA’s push to pass the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act and PROTECT IP Act in 2012, but CEO Chris Dodd [said the association abandoned that legislative antipiracy strategy](http://associationsnow.com/2012/10/mpaa-chief-on-sopa-and-pipa-theyre-not-coming-back/) after technology activists’ protests helped to kill both bills. But this week, it’s the association’s new partnership fostered with a key technology group that has people talking: The MPAA has joined the [World Wide Web Consortium (opens in a new tab)](http://www.w3.org/) (W3C), an organization led by web pioneer Tim Berners-Lee that works on standardizing the structure of the internet as a whole. More details: **A move with influence:** MPAA, which represents the Hollywood’s major film studios, has long fought against piracy. By joining the W3C, the association has the potential to help influence the future of digital rights policy and standards for web browsers. “If you think about the most problematic elements of your WWW experience, they typically are associated with web sources that stray from W3C standards to add additional functionality or usability, such as sites that use Adobe’s proprietary Flash plug-in to [operate] correctly,” [the tech site AfterDawn explains. (opens in a new tab)](http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2014/01/08/mpaa_joins_w3c_giving_it_a_voice_on_the_future_of_the_web) A number of associations [already have membership (opens in a new tab)](http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Member/List#xM) in the organization, including the National Association of Broadcasters, the Online Publishers Association, and the Digital Advertising Alliance. **A controversial alliance:** The decision drew scrutiny from online critics and watchdogs that have often looked at MPAA’s antipiracy efforts with a skeptical eye. “Bringing the MPAA into the process only continues to perpetuate this idea that we should be building a broadcast platform for the entertainment industry to push a message at consumers, rather than building a platform for creators of all kinds to communicate and share,” [argued Techdirt‘s Mike Masnick (opens in a new tab)](http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20140107/11263425789/not-cool-mpaa-joins-w3c.shtml) . The W3C’s move to push for digital rights management in the HTML 5.1 standard [has received criticism (opens in a new tab)](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/10/lowering-your-standards) from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which described the push as “a dangerous step for an organization that is seen by many as the guardian of the open Web to take.” As a W3C member, MPAA could directly influence this particular policy. MPAA’s joining of the W3C comes at a time when the film industry has started to figure out a successful way to drive digital movie sales: [by offering anticipated new films up for purchase online (opens in a new tab)](http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ces-digital-sales-20140103,0,5970703.story#axzz2q10BjXGH) prior to their release on DVD or Blu-Ray. World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee, the director of the W3C. (photo by Silvio Tanaka/Flickr) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#digital rights](https://associationsnow.com/tag/digital-rights/) [#MPAA](https://associationsnow.com/tag/mpaa/) [#Standards](https://associationsnow.com/tag/standards/) [#Technology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/technology/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [TemplateMembers onlyEthics Toolkit for AssociationsMarch 31, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/03/31/ethics-toolkit-for-associations/) - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [VideoThe Career Moves Every Association Leader Needs Right NowSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/the-career-moves-every-association-leader-needs-right-now/) - [VideoUrban Land Institute- Project Recovery: Rebuilding Los Angeles After the January 2025 WildfiresSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/urban-land-institute-project-recovery-rebuilding-los-angeles-after-the-january-2025-wildfires/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2014%2F01%2F10%2Fmpaa-joins-web-standards-group-amid-digital-rights-controversy%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !