Systems, devices, methods, and computer programme products for managing digital rights in digital environments

Abstract

A digital content creation, delivery, and consumption ecosystem encompasses Original Content Creators, Curated Content Creators, Content Rights Holders, Content Recipients, and Digital Environments, such as audio-video sharing social media. For Digital Rights Management, the interplay of devices for Original Content Creators, Curated Content Creators, and Content Rights Holders is supplemented by a Core Application Carrying Platform, enabling Content Rights Holder to enforce a flexible Content Rights Holder's Policy of allowance or forbiddance in relation to digital assets at a plurality of digital environments, at the granularity level of one single digital asset or more. Thus, the management of extensive catalogs of digital rights across time spans and jurisdictions is simplified. Temporary whitelisting is enabled. A Content Rights Holder's Policy is associated with a contract. The constellation of devices, digital environments and platforms relies on extendable Permission Policy Core Certificates and real time bidirectional Digital Communication Interfaces.

Description

[0001] SYSTEMS, DEVICES, METHODS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAMME PRODUCTS

[0002] FOR MANAGING DIGITAL RIGHTS IN DIGITAL ENVIRONMENTS

[0003] Technical Field

[0004] The hereby disclosed technique relates to the field of Digital Rights Management (DRM), and in particular to operations related to managing digital rights and copyright claims on Social Media Platforms, or on Content Service Provider Platforms, or in any sort of Digital Environment, such as advanced video games, augmented reality spaces, virtual reality worlds, multiverse constructions, et alia. The overarching goal is that creators receive appropriate credit and reward.

[0005] Although the music industry is taken as a starting point for clarity of explanation, the application of the concepts which are disclosed in the following are not intended to be limited to the music industry, but are intended to be equally valid in the movie industry, in the publishing industry, in the marketing industry, in the e-commerce industry, in the data brokerage industry, in the creative industry or any other industry whereby individual rights of a plurality of first entities may be represented by a plurality of second entities towards a plurality of third entities.

[0006] Background Art

[0007] The currently existing digital content creation, delivery, and consumption ecosystem encompasses several elements which play an important role: Individuals and Organizations, Content Identifiers, Digital Environments. In such an ecosystem, there are multiple Technical Challenges. A key issue is Infringement Detection. A further element is constituted by the Content Rights Holders ’s Policies. Existing Digital Rights Management System can be seen from the Content Rights Holders ’s Perspective and typically involve a Content Rights Holders ’s Dashboard.

[0008] Individuals and Organizations

[0009] The music industry - a vast and dynamic ecosystem - encompasses a spectrum of individuals and organizations engaged in diverse activities, ranging from writing lyrics to composing music, from creating and selling recorded music and music scores, to organizing concert live events. Artists can often be qualified not only as musicians, but also as performers. Pop songs are more often than not accompanied by videoclips, whereas soundtracks accompany movies, such as those produced by Hollywood and Bollywood studios. In the fashion industry, celebrities endorse brands, and associate themselves with the music industry, with the film industry, and with the luxury goods industry. To simplify, without intention of limitation to other categorisations which will be disclosed in the following, in the content creation, delivery, and consumption ecosystem there are three main roles: Content Creators. Content Rights Holders. Content Recipients .

[0010] Content Creators: These are primarily individuals who are the creators of the content. Such content may be an audio stream segment, a video stream segment, a selfie, a photo, a document, a metaverse object or a more articulated and complex digital item or stream, representing the expressions, the behaviors, the choices of the creator. Patterns of consumption, decisions, and choices, are part of an individual’s creative expression, and should be seen as content. Thus, content equates with the manifestation of the expressions, the behaviors, and the choices of a creator. These individuals, the Content Creators, may be musicians playing a song, filmmakers shooting a movie, artists, writers, poets, illustrators, or even ordinary mobile phone users, generating audio-video streams or digital items with their personal devices or any other suitable device. They bring their creative vision to life, to express themselves. Similarly, a person’s life choices — whether in shopping, career, relationship, or personal growth — form intricate expressive patterns. These patterns are their unique signature, a blend of personal lifestyle and personal life history, intuition, intent, and circumstance. While not traditionally associated with copyright, the digital data representing behavior data constitutes content belonging to the sphere of an individual’s expression.

[0011] A non-conventional type of content, a non-conventional type of individual expression, may be seen in phone call patterns, or financial choice patterns, or consumption patterns. A content creator is an entity (a natural person, an organization, an Al bot, etc ... ) who contributes information to any media, especially digital media. It is at present known that Artificial Intelligence entities and processes may also generate valuable digital content. Within the category of Content Creators, there are Original

[0012] Content Creators and Curated Content Creators A specific subset of content creators is constituted by creators of original content, i.e. content which is new and unique, not derived from or copied from another source. Such original content is unique, meaning it is not a duplicate or a direct copy from another source. Such original content is authentic, reflecting the creator’s own ideas, experiences, or research, meaning that it is not a reproduction or modification of someone else’s work or expression. Most importantly, original content does not infringe on the copyrights of others. Original Content Creators are oftentimes referred to as ‘artists’. When a content creator posts original content on a social media platform, they are sharing their own work. This is known as "owned media" . The creators have full control over this content, including where it is posted and how it is used. They can also directly engage with their audience, respond to comments, and use feedback to inform future content creation. Additionally, posting original content can help build a creator’s brand and establish them as an authority in their field. On the other hand, when a content creator posts snippets or full pieces of content owned by others, this is known by practitioners in the field as "content curation" . In such cases, a content creator is sharing content that was originally created by someone else. This can be a useful strategy for providing value to their audience, especially when such a content creator doesn’t have enough original content, or is re-purposing somebody else’s content. Such content will be referred to in the following as “ curated content”, to differentiate from “original content” . In the following, the creator of curated content is designated as Curated Content Creator to draw a distinction with the Original Content Creator. A Curated Content Creator is for instance a creator who makes videos involving original content of somebody else, or content that has 3rd party assets (content of others) in his / her video. For example, a curated content creator may be an influencer, a disc-jockey, or a commercial company that wishes to associate itself with the style of an original content creator, for instance in the fashion field. The Curated Content Creator may also be an organization that exploits the respective individual expressions of a plurality of Original Content Creators together. The Original Content Creators may be clients of such organizations. In such a situation the content is not audio; the content is not video; as stated earlier on in this specification, it could rather be a non-conventional type of content, a non- conventional type of individual expression, such as phone call patterns, or financial choice patterns, or consumption patterns. When it comes to copyright in the music industry or in the movie industry, there are several strands of rights and - subsequently - of claims, with regard to each single asset. Original Content Creators are indeed owners of rights over the created content (Audio, Visual, or Audiovisual content, or Metaverse content). They may provide their original content to organizational entities - individuals or organizations - for the purpose of representation, intermediation, protection, distribution, marketing, or for other functions. A variety of contracts exists on the basis of which the rights of the original content creator are separated in tiers and become the object of a transaction.

[0013] Content Rights Holders: This expression denotes the organizational entities individuals or organizations - that hold some or all rights over the content, thus entirely or partially. Analogous expressions are: Content Owners, Content Representatives, Content Licensees. These expressions overlap. Content Rights Holders could be the creators themselves if they retain the rights, or they could amount to an individual or an organization that has acquired the rights, entirely or partially, from the creator, for a specific time span, and for a specific geographical jurisdiction. Their role is to manage the use of the content and ensure it aligns with their strategic goals, which may be economic goals, but not exclusively. In the following, the expression Content Rights Holders will be used, as preferred, because this term encompasses individuals or organizations who hold rights over content, whether they are creators, representatives, licensees, or those responsible for managing content use and alignment of such content use with strategic goals. The expression Content Rights Holders acknowledges the diverse roles and responsibilities related to Content Rights Holdership and protection. A Content Rights Holders may be a representative operating on behalf or at the place of the Original Content Creator, who assigned or leased or sold all rights. A Content Rights Holders may be a licensee of the Original Content Creator. A Content Rights Holders may be entitled to upload the asset in its digital form on the Content ID System of a Social Media Platform or of a Content Service Provider Platform. A Content Rights Holders may generate and allocate for said asset a Content Identifier, providing protection for the content that has been created by the Original Content Creator. Such an identifier may be an International Standard Recording Code item. Explanations about such Content Identifiers or such International Standard Recording Code items will follow in the body of the present disclosure.

[0014] Content Recipients'. These are primarily individuals who enjoy or exploit the content, but not exclusively. These individuals may be equated with consumers. However, the term ‘consumer’ involves the concept of consumption, whereas a digital item - such as a song in its digital version - is never ‘consumed’. Content Recipients may additionally be for instance analysts, who do not consume the content for enjoyment but look at the content to extract data for any sort of purpose, including marketing statistics. They may also be commercial companies, organized to exploit the expressions of Original Content Creators.

[0015] Persons skilled in the field would acknowledge that terminology may vary, and may be confusing. Among practitioners of the field, several other different expressions are used. For instance, the expression "Content Providers” is often used as a general term to encompass both "Content Creators ” and "Content Rights Holders ” , as well as anyone else involved in the process of producing and distributing content. The expression “Users” is often used to refer to the ultimate “Content Recipients ” or ultimate “Content Consumers ” , intending the audience or the public, but sometimes the expression “Users” refers to Content Creators and Content Rights Holders, in that they also are users of the system. Thus, the expressions “Content Providers” and “Users”, especially in current patent literature and technical literature, may not necessarily refer to the same concept as referred to in the body of the present disclosure . Content items are often referred to as assets . Creation and ownership of content may additionally involve other entities. Producers'. In the context of film, television, or music, producers oversee the production process. They handle the financial and administrative aspects, coordinate with the creative team, and ensure the project stays on schedule and within budget. They may retain the rights to the content, they may sell it, or they may license it to others. Lahels / Puhlishers'. These organizations are responsible for getting the content to the audience. In the music industry, a record label handles the workflow from production, to distribution, to the promotion of an artist’s music. Content Identi fiers

[0016] An important issue is the correct and univocal identification of each content item. A plurality of manners to identify a content item exist. In this framework, when it comes to the relationship between Content Creators and Content Rights Holders, the International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) plays a crucial role. Content creators, such as musicians or filmmakers, produce original content. When this content is constituted by sound or music video recordings, an ISRC instance is assigned to each recording via intermediaries who may generate such ISRC instances for the Content Creators. This unique code serves as a digital identifier for the specific recording, allowing it to be tracked and accurately identified. Content Rights Holders, who may or may not be the creators themselves, hold all rights or some rights to these recordings. They are responsible for managing how the content is used, and for ensuring such use aligns with their strategic goals. In essence, the ISRC serves as a bridge between Content Creators and Content Rights Holders, providing a reliable and standardized method for identifying and tracking digital content in the complex landscape of today's media industry. The ISRC for a recording remains a fixed point of reference when the recording is used across different services, across borders, or under different licensing deals. While the ISRC is paired to a specific recording, and that means a content stream segment, the ISRC is not used to identify compositions / musical scores, music products in themselves, or performers. The ISRC is not applicable to the numbering of audio or audiovisual products or carriers. It is also not applicable to the numbering of packages of audio recordings or music video recordings with other media items. The ISRC was developed by the recording industry in conjunction with the ISO technical committee 46, subcommittee 9 (TC 46 / SC 9), which codified the standard as ISO 3901 in 1986. The standard was first published in 1986 and has been revised several times. ISO 3901:2019 is a specific instance of an international standard that specifies the International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) for the unique identification of recordings. The ISRC is applicable to the identification of audio recordings and music video recordings whether they are in analogue or digital form. The ISRC is applicable to music video recordings even if they have been assigned an International Standard Audiovisual Number (ISAN) in accordance with ISO 15706 (all parts), or a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) in accordance with ISO 26324.

[0017] However, in the art of DRM, several further types of identifiers for media items - which are a class of metadata - are known. A not exhaustive list of such types of identifiers for media items comprises ISRC, ISAN, DOI, GRID, ISNI, ISWC, IPI, IPN, TSM ID, EIDR, UPC, EAN, IGDB ID, and all proprietary Content Identifiers. • GRID: the Global Release Identifier is a system to identify releases of digital sound recordings (and other digital data) for electronic distribution. It is designed to be integrated with identification systems deployed by key stakeholders from across the music industry.

[0018] • ISNI: the International Standard Name Identifier is an ISO standard (ISO 27729:2012) in use around the world to uniquely identify individuals and organizations involved in creative activities. It is already widely adopted in the library and publishing sectors. It is a standard whose scope is the identification of public identities across multiple fields of creative activities. ISNI streamlines content distribution chains, disambiguating natural, legal and even fictional parties that might otherwise be confused.

[0019] • ISWC: the International Standard Musical Word Code is a unique code assigned to a specific musical work - lyrics - or composition written by songwriters.

[0020] • IPI: the Interested Party Information number is a unique, international identification number, usually 9-11 digits long. IPIs are assigned to songwriters, composers and music publishers.

[0021] • IPN: the International Performer Number, assigned by a performing rights organization to artists and musicians (vocalists and instrumentalists) and other performers on IPI related sound recordings.

[0022] • TSM ID: these identifiers are 14 digit alphanumeric identifiers, whereby the first two characters identify the program type, e.g., EP is episode. This identification is used to identify television shows, movies, and series.

[0023] • EIDR: the Entertainment Identifier Registry is a public registry that provides a unique identifier for audiovisual content across the global entertainment industry.

[0024] • UPC: the Universal Product Code, in North America, identifies physical or digital copies of music tracks. Video games may also have a UPC, a barcode used for tracking trade items in stores online and offline.

[0025] • EAN: the European Article Number is analogous to the UPC. The EAN is a barcode standard used internationally, including Europe, for physical and digital products like music tracks and video games.

[0026] • IGDB: the Internet Game Database identifier relates to a more unified approach, in that databases like IGDB provide unique identifiers for video games across platforms and formats. IGDB is used by gamers, developers, and researchers as a comprehensive source of game information.

[0027] • Smart Contract address and Token ID provide further solutions. These two pieces of information combined (the smart contract address and the token ID) act as a global identifier for a Non Fungible Token (NFT) within its blockchain network. For instance, on the Ethereum blockchain, the combination of the Ethereum contract address and the specific token ID uniquely identifies an NFT, making it possible to verify its authenticity and ownership.

[0028] It is self-evident that a plurality of types of identifiers for media items exist, with no universal solution. As social platforms and services proliferate, internationally standardized solutions - whether keeping the blockchain network into account or not - may enable matching the same content on different platforms, without relying on identifiers which are proprietary to any of the social platforms or services.

[0029] Amongst such internationally standardized solutions, the International Standard Recording Code can be seen as a valuable primary tool for Content Rights Holders because it allows them to track the use of their content across different platforms and services, ensuring they receive appropriate credit and compensation. An appealing aspect of the ISRC system is that it is constructed so that any entity creating sound recordings can obtain the means to assign ISRCs regardless of their membership of, or standing with, industry associations and other bodies. Another appealing aspect is that in the music industry there are business organizations that own the rights to millions of content items, each of which has an ISRC instance. The number of items owned by a Content Rights Holders may span from a few units to millions. This business landscape requires - and indeed presents - a variety of different technical solutions in terms of digital rights management. Although the ISRC system is a relevant building block, further better solutions may emerge as international standards in the future, attracting the support of stakeholders across industries which are today fragmented, but may converge in the future.

[0030] Digital Environments

[0031] When it comes to the relationship between Content Creators and Content Rights Holders, besides the type of identifier used to identify the content, the environment in which said content creators and Content Rights Holders operate is of paramount importance. The advent of social media platforms and content service providers (for instance YouTube™ or Spotify™) has significantly altered the relationship between Content Creators and Content Rights Holders. In the following, for simplicity, the expression Social Media Platforms is used. However, what is intended is not only Social Media Platforms, but also Content Service Provider Platforms, and all sorts of Digital Environments, such as advanced video games, augmented reality spaces, virtual reality worlds, multiverse constructions, et alia. In the past, content creators often had to go through traditional gatekeepers such as record labels or film studios to reach their audience. These gatekeepers also typically held the rights to the content, making them the Content Rights Holders. However, social media platforms have changed the paradigm of content distribution, allowing creators to directly reach their audience without the need for a middleman. This shift has enabled many content creators to retain ownership of their content, giving them greater control over their work. Furthermore, these platforms have also provided creators with new ways to engage with their audience, gather feedback, and build a community around their content. This increased interaction can lead to a deeper understanding of their audience, which can inform future content creation. Many digital environments have funds - such funds being primarily originated from advertisements - that reward creators based on views and engagements. Overall, digital environments have empowered content creators and changed the dynamics of Content Rights Holdership, and the associated forms of remuneration for such constellations of rights holderships. The advent of social media platforms has significantly altered the relationship between content creators and Content Rights Holders also in relation to ISRC. Traditionally, content creators, such as musicians, would produce a piece of work, and the Content Rights Holders, often record labels, would distribute it. The ISRC would be assigned to each recording, serving as a digital tag for tracking and identification purposes. With the rise of social media platforms, content creators have been able to distribute their work directly to their audience. This shift has allowed many creators to retain ownership of their content, oftentimes including the assignment of ISRCs. Ordinarily, however, a content creator would not be in the position of generating their own ISRCs, as the process of generating ISRCs is normally carried out by specific companies operating in the field of music distribution. Companies exist that offer the service of generating ISRCs to artists, with the purpose of music distribution. In particular, companies exist that enable artists to obtain ISRCs at the time of uploading their content to social media platforms. When it comes to video content, rather than audio content, it is known in the art of DRM that TMS ID, ISAN, EIDR are suitable identifiers for video content, besides proprietary identifiers. Ultimately, every frame of a video content may have an identifier. Any snippet of audio may have an identifier. Identifiers may be used at any level of granularity in the space-time domain. In each digital environment, the same creative expression, i.e. the same content item - may be identified in a different manner. No universal solution is available for content identifiers, and thus there is a technical problem, which is indeed magnified by the fact that in each digital environment a different standard is adopted. The relevance of each digital environment is a function of its popularity. Social Media Platforms like YouTube™, Facebook™, and TikTok™ have become digital spaces where creators can share their music videos or sound recordings, each with its own ISRC, directly with their fans. Against the backdrop of unprecedented technological advancements, a surge in music creation has given rise to a new wave of content creators, including musicians, remixers, and influencers. The music originated by the community of content creators involves intricate processes such as sampling, mixing, modifying, and compiling snippets from diverse artists. Such content is referred to as user-generated content (UGC) or user-generated media content (UGMC). The advent of the internet and digital media processing has catalyzed explosive growth in UGC, as users now effortlessly create their own music and videos. This transformative shift is evident in daily uploads of approximately at the end of 2023 it is 50,000 tracks on Spotify™, 260,000 tracks on SoundCloud™, and a staggering 2,600,000 tracks on YouTube™. Over the past 80 years, the industry has witnessed the recording and registration of millions of hours of new music. A compelling comparison reveals that within a two-month span, the community of content creators generates an equivalent of 5 million hours of newly recorded music.

[0032] Technical Challenges

[0033] It is technically challenging to distinguish between original content and curated content. Curated content may itself be mashed with further curated content or original content, with endless permutations and combinations. It is technically challenging to correctly and efficiently manage the ownership of rights to the content which is created and made publicly available. For music content embedded in an audio or video file, for example, the songwriter, the publisher, and the recording label are just some of the different entities that may hold rights to the media content. In the intricate ecosystem of content distribution, besides the Social Media Platforms mentioned in the foregoing, various further platforms play a pivotal role in mediating between content creators and copyright holders. Such platforms include Content Service Provider Platforms, and Digital Environments, such as advanced video games, augmented reality spaces, virtual reality worlds, multiverse constructions, et alia. Media Hosting Service Providers, for instance, allow users to upload multimedia content (e.g., music content and video content) for mass viewing have become increasingly popular in recent years. As the volume of hosted media content continues to grow, the management of ownership rights pertaining to the hosted media content has become an increasingly challenging problem for hosting services. For appropriate payments to be made to Content Rights Holders, e.g.. copyright holders, media content must be correctly identified. However, unlike television and radio environments where the content is typically identified before airing, media hosting services often handle user-provided media content that may initially be unidentified. Manual identification of such media content becomes onerous when Media Hosting Service Providers receive thousands or millions of new media uploads every day, and traditional automated mechanisms lack robustness and scalability. As technology progresses, new solutions emerge, whereby new Digital Constructs and Digital Environments emerge, such as advanced video games, augmented reality spaces, virtual reality worlds, multiverse constructions, et alia. Accuracy, efficiency, robustness, granularity, and scalability are desired features of any DRM System, in any Digital Environment. Notably, mainstream music services grapple with the challenge of effectively managing the influx of UGC, prompting a critical examination of the industry's preparedness for the dynamic landscape shaped by digital innovation and user-driven content creation. Such a landscape presents a variety of challenges and technical problems. The identification problem becomes even more complex when media uploads include live performances or cover performances that do not precisely match any sound recording known to the media hosting service, and their content is not identified in associated, uploaded metadata. All in all, matching accuracy, matching efficiency, granularity, and scalability are the most important challenges.

[0034] Infringement Detection

[0035] With a view to addressing such problems, several Social Media Platforms have developed systems to automate the detection of potential copyright infringements. Google, the parent company of YouTube™, and Meta, the parent company of Facebook™ and Instagram™, use a Content ID system. This Content ID system checks uploaded content against a database of copyrighted content. TikTok™ also uses a combination of technologies for the same purpose. When potential copyright infringement is detected, the content may be removed, and the Curated Content Creator / User may face consequences ranging from a warning to an account suspension. Curated Content Creators / Users can usually appeal if they believe their content was wrongly removed. In some cases, the right holder may choose to monetize the infringing content by requesting the running of ads on it, or simply be satisfied with a message being shown when the content is presented to Content Recipients, which works as an advertisement. In some cases, the right holder may whitelist such copyrighted content, for instance to enhance distribution and sharing. The Content ID system, used by platforms like YouTube™ and Facebook™, is designed to identify content such as audio segments and video segments that contain copyrighted content. When a Curated Content Creator / User uploads content, the Content ID system always checks it against a database of copyrighted content: if it finds a match, it applies the Content Rights Holder Policy.

[0036] Content Rights Holders ’ Policies

[0037] The Content Rights Holders ’ Policy is represented by a data structure, which may sit on the Social Media Platform or Digital Environment itself, besides the assets itself. In a specific instance of the upload of a video segment with related audio, the Content Rights Holders ’s Policy may involve removing the video segment, or allowing it to remain online with ads, the revenue from which goes to the Content Rights Holders, either in full or in part. The management of the Content Rights Holders ’ Policy is an essential functionality of the DRM System.

[0038] Digital Rights Management System : the Content Rights Holders ’s Perspective

[0039] To illustrate the prior art, Figure 1 describes the arrangement of a DRM System in a schematic manner. A Content Rights Holder (102), a representative operating on behalf of an original content creator (101), may upload a digital asset, which has been originating from said original content creator (101), onto a social media platform (105), so as it is stored onto the digital asset storage system (108). Such a digital asset, for clear understanding, may be the digital expression of a song. Such a digital asset may be a musical soundtrack, and constitutes content. A Content Rights Holder (102) may upload such a content through any of a plurality of methods: one may use a proprietary dashboard designed for direct management and submission of content; one may employ the Digital Data Exchange (DDEX) standard specifically within the music industry; one may utilize a Excel XML template filled with the required information that is then uploaded directly within the social media platform's Content Management System (CMS); or one may submit content through the social media platform's API. These are just examples. After the Content Rights Holder (102) completes the upload, the social media platform's Content Identifier Storage System (107) processes the information, and associates the just uploaded content with a Content Identifier (Content Id). Subsequently, the Content Identifier Storage System (107) of the social media platform initiates a search for matches within the content uploaded to their system, and in particular content which has been uploaded by a curated content creator (103). It may happen that said curated content creator has indeed used the soundtrack originated by original content creator (101), and a match is detected. After completing the upload, a Content Rights Holder (102) receives notification via email from the social media platform only under one of the following circumstances:

[0040] 1. There is an overlap or conflict with content from another Content Rights Holder.

[0041] 2. The system is uncertain about the validity of a claim which has been triggered by the operations of a curated content creator, and human review is requested.

[0042] 3. A curated content creator, who has utilized content from the Content Rights Holder, disputes the validity of the claim, and appeals.

[0043] According to the prior art at hand, the Content Rights Holder (102) is unaware of the instance whereby soundtracks or video clips or songs are automatically claimed by the Content Identifier Storage System (107). Digital Rights Management System : the Content Rights Holders ’s Dashboard

[0044] With respect to a dashboard, as a specific example which occurs to be familiar to the practitioners of the field, well known arrangements will be described, referring to Figures 2A, 2B and 2C. YouTube Studio™ is a platform provided by YouTube™ that allows content creators to manage, customize, and analyze their YouTube™ channels. A Y ouTube™ channel is a public profile on YouTube™ that hosts the content created by an individual or a group. It serves as the homepage for the account, and it is the digital place where the content provider can upload videos, create playlists, or to write comments on other videos. The YouTube Studio™ dashboard facilitates content management, allowing content creators to upload, edit, and organize videos efficiently, and serves as a comprehensive hub for content creators, offering a snapshot of their channel's performance and key metrics. Content creators can access important insights into their audience demographics, traffic sources, and revenue data. Within this centralized space, creators can swiftly assess crucial analytics, including views, subscriber count, and recent comments, providing an immediate pulse on audience engagement. The YouTube Studio™ dashboard is a powerful tool for channel customization, enabling creators to tailor the visual and organizational aspects of their channel. It serves as a command center for content creators, streamlining essential tasks and providing a real-time overview of their channel's health and growth. Figure 2A illustrates a first view of a dashboard that provides an overview of all uploaded content, from the perspective of a content rights owner (not of a content creator) that enters content into a digital environment. Figure 2B illustrates a second view of said dashboard, providing an overview of claimed content. Figure 2C illustrates a third view of said dashboard, providing a catalog of issues to manage, such as disputed claims and appealed claims.

[0045] Figure 3 illustrates a system including an original content creator (301), a Content Rights Holder (302) and a Social Media Platform (305). A Content Rights Holder (302), a representative operating on behalf of an original content creator (301), may upload a digital asset, which has been originating from said original content creator (301), onto a social media platform (305), so as it is stored onto the digital asset storage system (308). After the Content Rights Holder (302) completes the upload, the social media platform's Content Identifier Storage System (307) processes the information, and associates the just uploaded content with a Content Identifier (Content Id). Subsequently, the Content Identifier Storage System (307) of the social media platform initiates a search for matches within the content uploaded to their system. A set of functionalities for the Content Rights Holder is provided, schematically illustrated as Toolkit B (314). Social Media Platforms with DRM and Content Rights Holders ’s Policy functionalities

[0046] With respect to a Social Media Platform with DRM Functionalities and Content Rights Holders’s Policy functionalities, known arrangements will now be described. Patent application US- Al-2015332024, titled “Syndication Including Melody Recognition and Opt Out” outlines a DRM system that serves as a bridge for digital rights management services between media Content Rights Holders and media hosting services. These parties can choose to participate in the syndication system and collaborate with each other. A key feature of this DRM system is its content recognition. Such a technology aims to proper digital rights management and fair compensation for content creators. YouTube™ operates a sophisticated Content ID system that automatically scans and identifies copyrighted material within user-uploaded videos. When copyrighted material is detected, such a system grants Content Rights Holders the flexibility to monetize the video through ad placements, block the content entirely, or simply track the usage of such content. Additionally, YouTube™ empowers users with a dispute resolution process, allowing them to contest copyright claims. Content Rights Holders, including musicians and record labels, leverage such a Content ID system to assert control over their content on the platform. Facebook™, encompassing Instagram™, employs a system akin to YouTube™ for managing music copyright claims. Licensing agreements with major music labels grant users the privilege to integrate copyrighted music into their videos. Utilizing automated content recognition technology similar to YouTube™, Facebook™ offers rights holders the option to monetize the video through ad placements, block the content entirely, or simply track the usage of such content. The platform also provides users with tools to dispute copyright claims and addresses potential infringements. To offer an example, one may make a live transmission of friends playing music on the stage of a restaurant venue, and the system may automatically detect that the song that such friends are playing is copyrighted material. Facebook™ may own a license for such rights in certain jurisdictions but not in others. An automated decision may be taken, according to a variety of parameters, to mute the audio in certain countries, to let it play freely in others, to monetize it with ads, or to completely prohibit it. TikTok™ tackles music copyright issues through licensing agreements with various music labels, enabling users to incorporate licensed music from an extensive library. The platform takes measures against unauthorized use of copyrighted songs, potentially removing videos or muting audio. TikTok™ actively encourages users to employ only licensed music and provides avenues for rights holders to report copyright infringement. Weibo™ is a leading social media platform in China that combines features of microblogging and social networking. Enforces strict copyright policies to safeguard intellectual property rights. It mandates user compliance with these policies when posting text, images, and videos, actively preventing copyright infringement. Automated detection and manual monitoring are utilized to identify and rectify violations, emphasizing Weibo™'s dedication to upholding a legally compliant and creative online ecosystem. Toutiao™, also known as ByteDance's news and information content platform, operates with a sophisticated algorithm that personalizes content for its users. Central to its operation is the commitment to copyright compliance, where Toutiao™ vigorously enforces policies to protect intellectual property rights. The platform utilizes advanced technology to monitor and filter content, ensuring that uploads and shared materials respect the legal rights of creators. This includes automated detection tools and manual reviews to prevent copyright infringement, safeguarding both the content providers' and users' interests. Toutiao™'s proactive approach in copyright management highlights its dedication to fostering a respectful and legally compliant content-sharing environment. BiliBili™, with its huge variety of video, and live streaming content offers comprehensive copyright protection services for its content creators through various programs and initiatives. One of the main programs is the Content Creators Copyright Protection Program, which is designed to safeguard original creations without requiring exclusive release. This program offers free infringement monitoring and rights protection services, allowing creators the option to take action against illegal re-uploads on third-party platforms. Additionally, BiliBili™ has launched the UP Master Copyright Protection Plan, which provides cross-platform infringement detection and one-click rights protection for individual creators. This plan enables creators to monitor and protect their original content actively. Bilibili™ automatically tracks the infringement of newly added original works and assists creators in defending their rights through legal means once they initiate the rights protection process. Dubset Media Holdings, Inc. has developed a digital rights technology designed for efficiency in both speed and scale. This technology simplifies global licensing processes and enables digital platforms to make real-time decisions about content. This shift is significant, providing creators with the confidence to use copyrighted material while ensuring proper crediting and compensation for rights holders. The development of systems and methods for processing and managing media content, along with intellectual property rights management, showcases Dubset's solutions. Centralizing media content and asset rights in a registry is central to effective media licensing management and monetization, in this particular technology. The patent US-B2-11550878, held by Dubset Media Holdings, discloses systems and methods for processing and managing media content and associated intellectual property rights. In particular, it provides improved techniques to manage media licensing using a centralized registry of media content and associated asset rights. This technology is designed to ensure that content creators are properly credited and compensated for their work. Here’s how it works: 1. Upload and Stream: DJs can upload and stream their mix content compliantly. 2. Music Identification and Rights Resolution: MixSCAN serves as the backbone of the platform by allowing DJs to upload and stream their mix content compliantly. It is designed to solve the complex problem of identifying musical recordings used in mixes and remixes. 3. Determining Rights Holders: MixSCAN determines the appropriate rights holders. 4. Clearing Mixes or Remixes: The technology can register, distribute, track, and report the use of licensed master tracks within DJ mixes. This allows for the clearing of mixes or remixes across all rights holders. 5. Compensation: The platform ensures that labels, publishers, and other rights holders are properly compensated.

[0047] All these systems, in one manner or another, rely on a Content ID System, and a palette of Content Rights Holders’s Policy functionalities.

[0048] Technical Problems

[0049] A first apparent problem is that a Content Rights Holders would need to relate to a plurality of social media platforms, each of which has its own Content ID system, and this would require - for each content owner - as many interfaces or dashboards as there are social media platforms. Such a situation would be inefficient, cumbersome, and ultimately too complex to manage.

[0050] A second apparent problem is that the Content Rights Holders policy for a particular content item would not necessarily be the same across all platforms, all jurisdictions, and all time spans, and this would possibly cause difficulties and inconsistencies.

[0051] A third apparent problem relates to the level of granularity at which the Content Rights Holders policy, say catalog of assets or single assets, and the diversity of policy with respect to different curated content creators (e.g. different channels in YouTube™ or different profiles in Facebook™), which in this specification are called ‘outlets’. Such diverse situations give rise to a large variety of unexpected rigidities. In order to illustrate the nature of such unexpected situations, it is very important to provide some detailed examples. When a Content Rights Holder uses YouTube™ 's Content ID system, such a system automatically generates copyright infringement claims against content that matches the reference files of that specific Content ID system. However, there may be situations where the Content Rights Holder owns a set of video clips together with their music, but does not want to claim a specific subset A of said set of video clips whereas said Content Rights Holder - for a specific YouTube™ channel - wants to claim another specific subset B of said set of video clips. For instance, a music label might not want to claim videos from a popular channel - for instance the channel of a DJ or a fashion influencer - that promotes its artists. Such a music label would rather encourage said popular channel to promote such video clips, rather than discourage it. The expression “white listing” - in the context of copyright claims on YouTube™ - refers to the practice of tout court exempting certain channels from Content ID claims, both at current time and in the future. In such cases, the Content Rights Holder can add these channels - whether popular or not - to his whitelist, preventing the Content ID system from claiming any of owned videos uploaded to those channels, not only in the present but also in the future . In other words, when a Content Rights Holder whitelists a channel, according to prior art at hand, such a Content Rights Holder is essentially giving that channel permission to use any of their content without triggering a Content ID claim. Effectively, when whitelisting a channel, a Content Rights Holder may give more rights away than he would actually want to. Such an occurrence is of course undesirable, see Figure 4. If a Content Rights Holders wants to allow a channel to use one specific song A but not another song B, such a Content Rights Holder has no way to do so through the whitelisting feature. The channel would be free to use any of the Content Rights Holder’s content without triggering a Content ID claim. This lack of granularity originates from technical limitations which can potentially lead to situations where content is used in ways that the Content Rights Holder did not intend or approve. Such technical limitations cascade into a variety of negative consequences. Ordinarily, policy options include options such as either blocking the owned content or allowing it. When allowing it, such policy options may include tracking the free usage of the owned content. When allowing it, such policy options may also include monetizing the owned content. For example, the original content creator may request the Content Rights Holders to set asset ABC to ‘monetize’ as a default policy across all channels. But the same original content creator may also want to give a specific DJ channel full usage rights for said single asset ABC. The problem manifests itself when the Content Rights Holder - to second the wish of the content creator or otherwise - puts said specific D J channel into his whitelist. Subsequent to the whitelisting of said specific DJ channel, the DJ channel would get a whitelisting not only for the single asset ABC but for all the assets of said original content creator. Even worse, the DJ channel will get not only a whitelisting for all the assets of said original content creator, but for all original content creators that the Content Rights Holder has currently under its management. This constitutes a serious drawback. The prior art arrangements at hand disclose systems with certain features, but do not recognize such features as limitations.

[0052] A fourth apparent problem is complexity. Arrangements whereby there are multiple original content creators, multiple curated content creators, multiple Content Rights Holders, and multiple digital environments are qualified by a very high complexity. Changes of the policies of digital environments and of their Application Programming Interfaces compound such a complexity to a higher degree. The relationship between Original Content Creator and respective Content Rights Holders is affected by such a complexity.

[0053] A fifth apparent problem is sheer workload. When an Original Content Creator has requested to the Content Rights Holders a task to be carried out with respect to one or more of his assets or has requested to the Content Rights Holders information about his own content, such an information may not flow efficiently and expediently. Due to the sheer data volume, there may be long queues and long waiting times. When harvesting data through existing dashboards and Application Programming Interfaces offered by digital environments, further workload would materialize in a problematic manner, which would need effective technical solutions.

[0054] Summary of the Invention

[0055] A contribution over the available prior art is the conceptualization of the relationship between Content Rights Holders, Content Rights Holders’ policy options, Original Content Creators, Curated Content Creators, and Digital Environments. Through the lens of such a conceptualization, the inventors have arrived to see clearly the limitations of the prior art at hand, to formulate the objects to be achieved in a sharper manner, and to frame the technical problems to overcome so as to generate a host of workable solutions and improvements, of meaningful technical and business value, and linked as to form a single inventive concept..

[0056] The aim of the present invention is manyfold. Increasing the flexibility in managing digital rights, reducing the necessary computational resources, simplifying the Content Rights Holders’ policy options across platforms, enabling flexibility, scalability, and large scale deployment are amongst the objectives to be achieved. In conceiving the overall setup, available International Standards are to be taken into account to achieve higher interoperability across a variety of interfaces and data structures. It is an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks and limitations of the prior art. It is a further object of the present invention to enable Original Content Creators, Curated Content Creators and Content Rights Holders with advanced functionalities. It is a further object of the present invention to enable Digital Environments with integrative, comprehensive, and synergistic functionalities. It is a further object of the present invention to illustrate and teach how to arrange the four-pronged relationships between the Digital Environments, the Content Rights Holders, the Original Content Creators, and the Curated Content Creators, so as to achieve the foregoing objectives. It is a further object of the present invention to deal with a plurality of digital environments with a single comprehensive approach. It is a further object of the present invention to overcome the deficiencies and limitations of the prior art at least in part by providing systems, devices, methods, and computer program products for clearing rights in a granular manner. Specifically, an aim of the present invention is to provide, illustrate and teach a technique for arranging a software Core Application with a Content Management System (CMS) to enable Content Rights Holders, Original Content Creators, and Curated Content Creators to manage their assets with greater flexibility. It is a further object of the present invention to provide, illustrate and teach a technique for harvesting relevant data, for instance from the Digital Environment, or from Content Rights Holders or an Original Content Creator or a Curated Content Creator. It is a further object of the present invention to provide functionalities for individuals and organizations operating in the music and video and marketing industry to optimize, control, and be efficient with their time and resources. It is a further object of the present invention to provide content ID providers and digital environments with more automated solutions, overcoming tedious and time consuming manual tasks.

[0057] Embodiments of the present invention concern a set of (cloud based) applications, and devices carrying such applications. Embodiments of the present invention include a system for DRM comprising a Digital Environment. Embodiments of the present invention further include: a device for DRM adapted for an Original Content Creator, a device for DRM adapted for a Curated Content Creator, a device for DRM adapted for a Content Rights Holder, computer programme products comprising code means corresponding to the means of the devices, a Core Application Carrying Platform for DRM, a computer programme product for a Core Application Carrying Platform. Embodiments of the present invention further include: a system for DRM comprising a Core Application Carrying Platform for DRM, methods for harvesting content identifiers related to a Content Rights Holder, computer programme products comprising code means corresponding to the methods.

[0058] Aspects of the embodiment of the present invention are defined by the appended independent claims, with specific embodiments being defined by the claims dependent thereupon. Additional objects, embodiments and features of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings.

[0059] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0060] The specification is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals are used to refer to similar elements.

[0061] Figure 1 describes a schematic arrangement of a DRM System according to prior art.

[0062] Figure 2A illustrates a first view of a dashboard according to prior art.

[0063] Figure 2B illustrates a second view of a dashboard according to prior art.

[0064] Figure 2C illustrates a third view of a dashboard according to prior art.

[0065] Figure 3 illustrates an architecture involving a digital environment according to prior art. Figure 4 illustrates the reaction of a Content Rights Owner when using prior art white listing. Figure 5 illustrates a schematic arrangement of a DRM System according to the invention.

[0066] Figure 6 illustrates the data structure of a Permission Policy Core Certificate and variations of an Extended Permission Policy Core Certificate according to the invention.

[0067] Figure 7 illustrates a real time bidirectional communication interface according to the invention. Figure 8A - divided in Part 1 and Part 2, illustrates data flows according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0068] Figure 8B illustrates data flows according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0069] Figure 8C illustrates data flows according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 8D illustrates data flows according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 8E illustrates data flows according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 8F illustrates data flows according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 8G illustrates data flows according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 9 illustrates a device according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0070] Figure 10 illustrates data flows according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0071] Figure 11 illustrates data flows according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 12 illustrates a dashboard according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0072] Description of the Embodiments

[0073] Figure 5 illustrates a schematic arrangement of a DRM System according to an embodiment of the invention. In order to meet the objectives, the architecture of a platform for Content Rights Holders is disclosed. Such a platform is a Core Application Carrying Platform (500), in the sense that it carries a multifunctional software application. Such a Core Application Carrying Platform (500) is to be seen as a Native Digital Environment, to be associated with one or more pre-existing digital environments. In an exemplary manner, Figure 5 shows that a first digital environment includes a Social Media Platform (505). However, the Core Application Carrying Platform (500) may be simultaneously associated with several Digital Environments (e.g. YouTube™, Facebook™, TikTok™, Spotify ™,...).

[0074] A fundamental insight is that matches, e.g. the alleged copyright infringements, need to be continuously monitored. To fulfill this requirement, the native digital environment of the Core Application Carrying Platform (500) needs to have a real time bidirectional communication interface (580) with any other monitored digital environment, for instance the first digital environment, through a suitable connection (530, 510). A subsequent insight is that the Content Rights Holders’ Policy for one single asset needs to be embodied in a digital policy certificate, which is to be consulted as soon as a match, e.g. the alleged copyright infringement, takes place for that specific asset. It is hereby disclosed an expandable Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC), which results in an Extended Permission Policy Core Certificate. A Visual Input / Output Interface (590), in other words a dashboard, is necessary for a Content Rights Holder so as to input and modify settings for the plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs). A further subsequent insight is that the digital policy certificate needs to possess a granularity at the level of the smallests item, and no less. It is hereby disclosed that the expandable Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) carries a digital asset identifier which is defined as Native Content Identifier and at least one Permission Information flag. A further subsequent insight is that white listing needs to take place at a granularity level lower than that of the catalog of a Content Rights Holder. The entire catalog of assets of a Content Rights Holder is to be disaggregated, so that portions of such catalog are respectively associated with a corresponding set of Avatars, univocally associated with Avatar Identifiers, impersonating said Content Rights Holder for that specific portion of assets or even for a single asset. Thus, according to aspects of the invention, whitelisting or claim release takes place - if so desired - at an asset-by-asset level of granularity. It is hereby disclosed that said expandable Permission Policy Core Certificate, preferably carries an Avatar Identifier besides a Native Content Identifier and a Permission Information flag. It is hereby disclosed that said expandable Permission Policy Core Certificate preferably carries an Outlet Identifier, to identify the channel or profile or outlet for delivering such a digital asset, said Outlet Identifier existing besides a Native Content Identifier and a Permission Information, as a complement or as a substitute to said Avatar Identifier.

[0075] Figure 6 provides examples of how an expandable Permission Policy Core Certificate can be extended. Said expandable Permission Policy Core Certificate preferably carries a Jurisdiction Field, which relates to jurisdiction to which the permission policy pertains. There may be a plurality of jurisdictions. Said expandable Permission Policy Core Certificate preferably carries a Time Span Field, which relates to the time segment in which the permission policy pertains. There may be a plurality of time segments. Keeping in mind that there may be a plurality of digital environments, it is hereby disclosed that said expandable Permission Policy Core Certificate preferably carries a Digital Environment Identifier besides a Native Content Identifier and a Permission Information flag. Each digital environment is different, has a different API (Application Programming Interface), and has an internal data structure with associated methods to input information related to the Content Rights Holder ’s Policy. However, such internal data structure and such associated methods may be incongruent with the hereby disclosed Permission Policy Core Certificate. Thus, a transcoding operation may be necessary, between different digital environments. The hereby disclosed Permission Policy Core Certificate enables to overcome such differences. Through the Permission Policy Core Certificate, Content Rights Holders, Original Content Creators, and Curated Content Creators are enabled to either allow or forbid the playing of their assets, at an asset-by-asset level of granularity and taking into account the channel or profile or buyer or entity - the outlet - willing to use said asset or assets. Additionally, in case it is decided to allow the playing of a particular asset, they are enabled to decide whether to monetize the playing or not at an asset-by-asset level of granularity, and taking into account the channel or profile or buyer or entity - the outlet - willing to use said asset or assets. This approach enables creators, artists, and record labels with greater control over their assets. For example, one asset - identified by the Native Digital Identifier - may be associated to one Outlet Identifier and a set of Jurisdiction Fields; for each instance of Native Digital Identifier, Outlet Identifier, and Jurisdiction Field, there may be a set of Time Span Fields; for each instance of Native Digital Identifier, Outlet Identifier, Jurisdiction Field, and Time Span Field, there may be a set of Digital Environment Identifiers; for each instance of Native Digital Identifier, Outlet Identifier, Jurisdiction Field, Time Span Field, and Digital Environment Identifier, the Permission Identifier may be instantiated to “forbid” or to “permit”. In this manner, a plurality of Permission Policy Core Certificates may be generated, to achieve the required flexibility in terms of outlets, jurisdictions, time spans, and digital environments. With respect to the same asset, identified by the same Native Digital Identifier, what is permitted for a combination of one outlet, in one jurisdiction, in one time span, and in one digital environment, may be forbidden in another combination. In order to manage such an articulated policy with respect to one particular digital environment, it may be necessary to instantiate the Avatar Identifier, so as to circumvent possible limitations that a specific digital environment may have, as discussed in the foregoing (see Figure 4). One further insight concerns the conditions under which the Permission Policy Core Certificate may switch its Permission Information from ‘forbid’ to ‘permit’, or from ‘permit’ to ‘forbid’. Such conditions may involve the stipulation of a contract between an Original Content Creator and a Content Rights Holders; between a Content Rights Holders and a Curated Content Creator; between an Original Content Creator and a Curated Content Creator. Such stipulation of a contract may take place following a bidding procedure or an auction procedure or similar, whereby Content Rights Holders compete with each other, whereby Original Content Creators compete with each other, and whereby Curated Content Creators compete with each other. One further insight is that Permission Policy Core Certificates may be traded. One further insight is that Permission Policy Core Certificates may have a value tag. One further insight is that Permission Policy Core Certificates may have to be protected against forging. One further insight is that a digital asset may be stored on a blockchain. One further insight is that rights on said digital asset may be represented by a Non-Fungible Token, giving buyers or traders a proof of legitimacy. One further insight is that an auction procedure or bidding procedure may take place on a marketplace for Non-Fungible Tokens, in the shape of currencies, cryptocurrencies, or advertisement revenues shares.

[0076] The extendable Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) is a key component of the Digital Rights Management system. It serves as a dynamic and flexible tool for Content Rights Holders to manage their digital assets, and presents several advantages. • Extendability: The PPCC is designed to be extendable, allowing Content Rights Holders to add or modify policies as needed. This flexibility ensures that the PPCC can adapt to changing needs and circumstances.

[0077] • Granular Control: The PPCC provides granular control over digital assets. It allows Content Rights Holders to set specific permissions for each digital asset, enabling a policy of allowance or forbiddance at the granularity level of each digital asset.

[0078] • Dynamic Adaptation: The PPCC can be dynamically adapted based on the outcome of an auction procedure or a bidding procedure, amongst competing Original Content Creators, Curated Content Creators or competing Content Rights Holders. This ensures that the PPCC remains relevant and effective in a competitive environment.

[0079] • Association with Avatar Identifier: The PPCC is associated with at least one Avatar Identifier, which is an identifier adapted to identify the ownership of one or more digital assets. This association enables a policy of allowance or forbiddance at the granularity level of each digital asset, in relation to a predetermined outlet. Furthermore, the association of the PPCC with an Avatar Identifier provides an additional layer of security and control, ensuring that the rights of content creators are protected and properly managed.

[0080] In summary, the extendable PPCC is a powerful tool in the Digital Rights Management system, providing Content Rights Holders with the flexibility, control, and security they need to effectively protect their digital assets . Without the PPCC, it would be significantly more challenging for Content Rights Holders to manage their digital rights effectively.

[0081] Figure 7 illustrates the real time bidirectional Digital Communication Interface. The DRM system is designed to notify the Content Rights Holder of any infringement of rights taking place in the monitored digital environment through the digital communication interface. It also enforces the Content Rights Holder’s policy based on the settings defined in the PPCCs and the information from the infringement detection unit. The Content Rights Holder’s policy is associated with at least one Avatar Identifier, which is an identifier adapted to identify the ownership of one or more digital assets. This enables a policy of allowance or forbiddance at the granularity level of the one digital asset or more digital assets, in relation to a predetermined outlet. This system provides a comprehensive and efficient solution for managing digital rights, ensuring that the rights of content creators are protected and properly managed in the digital environment. The interface to notify infringement is a critical component of the Digital Rights Management system. It serves as a conduit for real-time information about potential infringements, regardless of whether it is located in the digital environment, the Core Application Carrying Platform, or a third-party platform, and presents several advantages. • Real-Time Monitoring and Notification: The interface continuously monitors for any use or distribution of the digital assets. Upon detection of an infringement, it automatically sends a notification to the Content Rights Holder, enabling immediate action.

[0082] • Cross-Platform Compatibility: Whether it’s integrated within the digital environment, the core application platform, or a third-party platform, the interface is designed to function seamlessly across different platforms. This ensures consistent performance.

[0083] • Detailed Reporting: The interface provides comprehensive reports about the infringement, including the nature of the infringement, the digital asset involved, and the actor of the infringement. This helps understand the extent of the infringement and decide on the appropriate course of action.

[0084] The interface to notify infringement plays a pivotal role in the protection of digital rights. By providing real-time notifications of infringements, it allows Content Rights Holders to take immediate action to protect their digital assets. This could involve enforcing their policy of allowance or forbiddance, modifying their digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC), or taking other actions. In summary, the interface to notify infringement is a powerful tool in the Digital Rights Management system, providing Content Rights Holders with the information and control they need to effectively protect their digital assets. Without this interface, it would be significantly more challenging for Content Rights Holders to detect and address infringements of their digital rights. Figures 5, 6 and 7 and the foregoing explanations enable a practitioner of the field of DRM to understand the key features of the Core Application and of the Core Application Carrying Platform (500), which works as a pivot amongst Original Content Creators, Curated Content Creators, Content Rights Holders, and Digital Environments. Such a Core Application Carrying Platform (500) is qualified by: o a native Content Identifier Storage System (552), and o a Content Rights Holders ’s Policy Storage System (555).

[0085] A system of this sort consists of an architecture of software modules, pivoting around a core application, these modules and this application being designed to enable the release of tiers of assets, down to individual assets, such as individual video clips or individual audio tracks, for instance for specific YouTube™ videos or channels, or specific Facebook™ profiles or specific TikTok™ accounts. A set of such interrelated modules constitutes said Core Application. The Automated Claim Release System (ACRS) is a portion of such interrelated modules.

[0086] A further embodiment relates to a digital environment, such as a social media, which is fitted with the essential features of invention so as to enable whitelisting at the granularity of a signal digital asset. Indeed, the concepts of Avatar Identifier, Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC), and real time bidirectional Digital Communication Interface may be incorporated into a Digital Environment, such as a social media network. A digital environment may comprise the following components:

[0087] • Content Identifier Storage System: This system stores a plurality of content identifiers. Each content identifier is unique and corresponds to a specific digital asset.

[0088] • Digital Asset Storage System: This system is responsible for storing a plurality of digital assets. These assets could be any form of digital content such as music, videos, ebooks, etc.

[0089] • Content Rights Holders’s Policy Storage System: This system stores a plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs). Each PPCC corresponds to a specific policy set by the Content Rights Holder.

[0090] • Visual Input / Output Interface: This interface is adapted to input settings for the plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs). It provides an interactive platform for the Content Rights Holder to manage their policies.

[0091] • Digital Communication Interface: This interface facilitates communication within the digital environment

[0092] • Infringement Detection Unit: This unit is adapted to detect an infringement of copyright taking place in the digital environment. It monitors the digital environment for any unauthorized use of the digital assets.

[0093] With such an architecture, the essential features of the present invention would be incorporated into the digital environment itself.

[0094] Figures 8A to 8G illustrate examples of the process flows at the Core Application according to embodiments of the invention. The Core Application involves numerous features, including timers, backlog releases, enhanced security measures, integration of API functionalities, automated dispute resolution, integration with a plurality of digital environments, and more. These additional features aim to expand the system's functionality and provide users with a comprehensive suite of tools. In particular, Figures 8A to 8G relate to the setup process to activate the Core Application.

[0095] Figure 8A - divided in Part A and Part B - illustrates the method steps related to how the Content Rights Owner may register with the Core Application. In particular, it illustrates steps that the Content Rights Holder takes to get their account activated for the Core Application. These steps involve: accessing the registration page of the Core Application, accepting the Privacy Policy, filling in company details and additional information, whereby the Content Rights Holder is asked to connect through their email account, or by means of other login options, to a first digital environment. This is essential in that Content Rights Holder is to be enabled to connect to the Content Management System (CMS) of the first digital environment. The Core Application will then initiate the bidirectional connection, through the real time bidirectional digital interface, between Core Application itself and this First Digital Environment. After the permission check, if the Content Rights Holder has sufficient permission to access the CMS of the digital environment,, the registration process is set in “Pending for Review”, whereby an operator reviews the request of the Content Rights Holder to access the functionalities of the Core Application, and verifies that the company is legitimate. After approval, the Content Rights Holder turns on additional security features, one of them being a 2-step verification, and selects one of several available methods to start harvesting for the benefit of the native digital environment, and its own CMS.

[0096] Figure 8B illustrates a manual method of providing the Core Application with information to start the harvesting. With a method A, the Content Rights Holder is asked to download a specific report from the first digital environment, and to upload this file to the Core Application. The Core Application then scans the Title and File Structure. The Title and File Structure follows a template, and the verification of such a template constitutes a further security feature. When accepted, the asset data is stored within the Content Right Holder Cloud Storage System. The Content Rights Holder has the option to keep the harvesting method on manual or to turn on method B, which is an automated method. Method A is used when a Content Rights Holder has a massive library with over 100.000 assets and wants to quickly use the application.

[0097] Figure 8C illustrates a first automated method of providing the Core Application with information to start the harvesting. With a method B, an automated option is selected, whereby the Content Rights Holder sets a start date from when such an automated method B starts the harvesting process. If the date is set for example 01-01-2024, the harvesting module will only harvest information from that date and beyond. In other words, if such a date is entered, assets entered into the First Digital Environment after that date, metadata of said assets, and claim information related to such assets is retrieved, stored (e.g. in the Content Right Holder Cloud Storage System), and processed. This method is used when the Content Rights hiHolder has 20.000 or less assets. The first time method B runs it will take more time then Method A or C.

[0098] Figure 8D illustrates a second automated method of providing the Core Application with information to start the harvesting, involving an API. With a method C, one can set up an automated method of harvesting, whereby the information is sent through the API of the Core Application, and the Content Rights Holder has then two options: the first option is to sent the information through the API of the Core Application and the second option is to turn on method B to take over after the first harvesting session.

[0099] Figure 8E illustrates an overview of method steps, from registration to full activation of the Core Application. Content Rights Holders may subscribe to, or lease, or buy this core application on behalf of their clients - original content creators - or for their own purposes. For instance, in the case of Y ouTube™, the Core Application would receive asset information from the Content Rights Holder's Y ouTube™ CMS (Content Management System) when the harvest method is selected. The information is retrieved in a text-based format, and the information is then located within their own secure cloud-based environment within the Core Application. When this has happened, the Content Rights Holder can now check existing labels (Tags) from the first digital environment, and / or create custom Labels (Tags) within the Core Application. On such a basis, Content Rights Holder can connect assets to Labels. These Labels will then be connected to a Permission Group within the Core Application to be activated for use by the Content Rights Holder or Original Content Creator. The Content Rights Holder has the option to create separate accounts for their clients, i.e. separate Original Content Creators, and to associate certain assets with those accounts. This is the basis to enable the clients, i.e. Original Content Creators, to independently use the Core Application fortheir own assets, without relying on the Content Rights Holder's assistance. At this stage, the association with at least one Avatar Identifier would take place. Subsequently, the PPCC is associated with at least one Avatar Identifier. This association enables a policy of allowance or forbiddance at the granularity level of each digital asset, in relation to a predetermined outlet.

[0100] Figures 8F and 8G illustrate the full setup process in detail, to start using the Core Application. Such a setup process is for setting up the Core Application for use in conjunction with the assets, and information which has been received from the harvesting method. At this stage, steps involve the Avatars Identifiers, the Outlet Identifiers, the Extended Permission Policy Core Certificates, as disclosed above in the present specification. The Content Right Holder would for instance create a structure as given in Figure 8E that looks like the example below.

[0101] Assets may be disaggregated and re-aggregated according to a plurality of different tiers. Several modalities of aggregation may be envisaged. For example, a non exhaustive list of tiers is:

[0102] When the application is fully set up, the Content Rights Holder can then apply specific Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCC) to certain assets or groups of assets, to a designated 'channel', 'video', ‘page’ or ‘other option’ - the Outlet - and the system would take care of the rest. One of several services may be chosen. Service A may be for instance whitelisting and claim releasing. Service B may involve rights management. Service C may involve recording of content. Several other additional services that the skilled person would conceive would be part of this set of services.

[0103] Whenever a whitelisted channel, video, page, or other option incorporates one of the designated assets into a video, photo, audio, a claim would be generated by the first digital environment. The Core Application automatically would process the infringement claim, conducting several checks to verify the relationship between the channel, video, page, or other option and the asset. Upon a successful match, the application would release the claim for the whitelisted channel, video, page, or other option.

[0104] Figure 9 illustrates a device which constitutes a further embodiment of the invention. Such an embodiment of the invention relates to a device for Digital Rights Management (DRM) specifically adapted for a Content Rights Holder. The device comprises a visual input / output interface. Such a visual input / output interface is meant for the Content Rights Holder so as to input and modify settings for said plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs). This interface allows the Content Rights Holder to easily manage and adjust the settings for their digital assets. The device also includes a digital communication interface towards a digital environment so as to detect through said digital communication interface an infringement of rights taking place in said digital environment. This feature allows the Content Rights Holder to be aware of any potential infringements on their digital rights and take necessary actions. The Core Application may preferably enable a Content Rights Holder to enforce a single Content Rights Holders ’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance in relation to one digital asset or more digital assets of a plurality of digital assets supported by one digital environment or more, as a function of at least one of said digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs) and on the basis of said digital communication interface. This provides flexibility to the Content Rights Holders in managing their digital rights. In one embodiment, the device further comprises means for uploading a digital asset to an environment. This could be any digital environment such as a cloud storage, a server, or a specific platform designed for storing and managing digital assets. In another embodiment, the device further comprises means for creating an avatar identifier. This could be any form of identifier that uniquely identifies the avatar. Finally, the device further comprises means for connecting an Outlet Identifier to an Avatar Identifier. This allows the Content Rights Holder to link their digital assets to their avatar and to an outlet, providing an additional layer of control over their digital assets.

[0105] A further embodiment relates to a device for Digital Rights Management (DRM) specifically adapted for an original content creator. The device comprises means for uploading a digital asset to a digital environment. This could be any digital environment such as a cloud storage, a server, or a specific platform designed for storing and managing digital assets, such as a social media network. The device also includes means for requesting a content identifier. This could be any form of identifier that uniquely identifies the digital asset, such as an ISRC code, a unique hash, or a digital watermark, or according to any of the formats discussed in the foregoing. One of the unique features of the device is the means for receiving a notification of infringement of the rights belonging to the digital asset through a digital communication interface. This allows the content creator to be aware of any potential infringements on their digital rights and take necessary actions. In one embodiment, the digital asset is stored on a blockchain. Blockchain technology provides a secure and transparent way of storing digital assets, making it an ideal choice for managing digital rights. In another embodiment, the rights on the digital asset are represented by a Non-Fungible Token (NFT). NFTs are unique digital tokens that represent ownership of a specific item or piece of content. By using NFTs, the device gives buyers or traders a proof of legitimacy, ensuring that the digital rights are properly managed and protected. The device also includes means for setting or modifying a policy certificate on a platform. This could involve changing the policy certificate according to the outcome of an auction procedure or a bidding procedure, amongst competing curated content creators or competing Content Rights Holders. In another embodiment, the auction procedure or bidding procedure takes place on a marketplace for Non-Fungible Tokens, in the shape of currencies, cryptocurrencies, or advertisement revenues shares. This provides a solution for content creators to monetize their digital assets. This device provides a comprehensive solution for managing digital rights in the digital age, leveraging modem technologies such as blockchain and NFTs to ensure the rights of content creators are protected and properly managed.

[0106] A further embodiment relates to a device for Digital Rights Management (DRM) specifically adapted for a curated content creator. The device comprises means for uploading a digital asset to an environment. This could be any digital environment such as a cloud storage, a server, or a specific platform designed for storing and managing digital assets, such as a social media network. The device also includes means for receiving a notification of infringement of the rights belonging to somebody else’s digital asset through a digital communication interface. This allows the content creator to be aware of any potential infringements on their digital rights and take necessary actions. One of the unique features of the device is the means for either bidding for permission to use, so that a policy certificate is modified on a platform or seeking an alternative content. This provides flexibility to the content creator in managing their digital rights. In one embodiment, the rights on said somebody else’s digital asset are represented by aNon-Fungible Token (NFT). NFTs are unique digital tokens that represent ownership of a specific item or piece of content. By using NFTs, the device gives buyers or traders a proof of legitimacy, ensuring that the digital rights are properly managed and protected. The device also includes means for changing the policy certificate according to the outcome of an auction procedure or a bidding procedure, amongst competing original content creators or competing Content Rights Holders. This allows the content creator to adapt their digital rights management strategy based on the market dynamics. In another embodiment, the auction procedure or bidding procedure takes place on a marketplace for Non-Fungible Tokens, in the shape of currencies, cryptocurrencies, or advertisement revenues shares. This provides a platform for content creators to monetize their digital assets. Finally, the device further comprises means for requesting and receiving a content identifier. This could be any form of identifier that uniquely identifies the digital asset, such as an ISRC code, a unique hash, or a digital watermark or according to any of the formats discussed in the foregoing. This device provides a comprehensive solution for managing digital rights in the digital age, leveraging modem technologies such as blockchain and NFTs to ensure the rights of content creators are protected and properly managed.

[0107] Figure 10 illustrates a process flow which may take place on a device. Such a flow may be implemented or instantiated as a mobile application, or as a desktop application, or an embodiment of the Core Application, or as any other computer programme product. In one example, the Content Rights Holder, or the Original Content Creator, can record for example a ‘studio jam session’ or ‘live concert’ and then upload it to their account (e.g. on the Core Application carrying Platform), add metadata information of the recording to it, set the Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC), and Avatar Identifier or Avatar Identifiers and upload it to the Content Management System (CMS) of the Content Rights Holder on digital environment that is selected.

[0108] Figure 11 illustrates a process flow which may take place on a device. Such a flow may be implemented or instantiated as a mobile application, or as a desktop application, or an embodiment of the Core Application, or as any other computer programme product. In one example, the Content Rights Holder, or the Original Content Creator, can use service A for whitelisting Channels, videos, pages, or other options available in the core application, and the real time monitoring, and bidirectional communication of the Core Application to perform service A and release any infringement claims. Besides the process flows illustrated in Figures 8A-8G, in further embodiments, the present invention additionally relates to a method for harvesting content identifiers related to a Content Rights Holder in a digital environment. This method is designed to protect and manage the rights of digital assets, providing a comprehensive solution for Content Rights Holders. The method begins by connecting to the digital environment using a secure communication protocol. This ensures that the connection is secure and the data transferred is protected. Next, the method identifies all digital assets associated with the Content Rights Holder within the digital environment. This could involve scanning the digital environment for digital assets that are tagged or otherwise associated with the Content Rights Holder. Once the digital assets have been identified, the method extracts the content identifiers corresponding to each identified digital asset. These content identifiers serve as unique identifiers for the digital assets and are crucial for managing digital rights. The harvested content identifiers are then stored in a native Content Identifier Storage System (552) for further processing. This system provides a secure and organized storage solution for the content identifiers. In this method, a digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) belonging to a plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs), and a content identifier belonging to a native plurality of content identifiers are associated to one another. The plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs) are stored on the Content Rights Holders’s Policy Storage System (555), and the native plurality of content identifiers are stored on the native Content Identifier Storage System (552). The method also involves setting input for the plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs) through a visual input / output interface to at least one of a plurality of Content Rights Holders. This allows the Content Rights Holders to manage their digital rights in a user- friendly manner. Finally, the method enables a Content Rights Holders to enforce a single Content Rights Holders ’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance in relation to one digital asset or more digital assets of a plurality of digital assets supported by the first digital environment. This enforcement is as a function of at least one of the digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs) and on the basis of a digital communication interface towards the digital environment so as to detect an infringement of rights taking place in the digital environment.

[0109] In addition to the method, the invention also includes a computer program product comprising code means corresponding to the method steps. This product can be installed on a computer system to implement the method.

[0110] This method provides a comprehensive and efficient solution for managing digital rights, ensuring that the rights of content creators are protected and properly managed in the digital environment. Without this method, it would be significantly more challenging for Content Rights Holders to detect and address infringements of their digital rights. Therefore, it’s a critical component. The present invention additionally relates to a method of associating an existing native content identifier with a first content identifier at a first digital environment. This method is designed to protect and manage the rights of digital assets, providing a comprehensive solution for Content Rights Holders. The method begins by initiating a procedure that involves uploading the digital asset itself, checking the metadata associated with the digital asset, or checking the content identifiers received by a second digital environment. This step ensures that the most accurate and up-to-date information is used in the association process. Next, the method involves receiving a first content identifier associated with a digital asset in the first digital environment. This content identifier serves as a unique identifier for the digital asset and is crucial for managing digital rights. The method then complements a permission policy core certificate based on the association of the first content identifier and the existing native content identifier. This step involves updating the permission policy core certificate to reflect the new association, thereby enhancing the management of digital rights. In this method, a digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) belonging to a plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs), and a content identifier belonging to a native plurality of content identifiers are associated to one another. The plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs) are stored on the Content Rights Holders’s Policy Storage System (555), and the native plurality of content identifiers are stored on the native Content Identifier Storage System (552). The method also involves setting input for the plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs) through a visual input / output interface to at least one of a plurality of Content Rights Holders. This step allows the Content Rights Holders to manage their digital rights in a user- friendly manner. Finally, the method enables a Content Rights Holders to enforce a single Content Rights Holders ’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance in relation to one digital asset or more digital assets of a plurality of digital assets supported by the first digital environment. This enforcement is as a function of at least one of the digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs) and on the basis of a digital communication interface towards the digital environment so as to detect an infringement of rights taking place in the digital environment. This method provides a comprehensive and efficient solution for managing digital rights, ensuring that the rights of content creators are protected and properly managed in the digital environment. Without this method, it would be significantly more challenging for Content Rights Holders to detect and address infringements of their digital rights. Therefore, it’s a critical component.

[0111] A visual input / output interface, which may be used in the Core Application Carrying Platform or in a device for Digital Rights Management (DRM) specifically adapted for a Content Rights Holder is illustrated in Figure 12. Such a visual input / output interface may take a variety of shapes and forms, and only one example is hereby provided, as the skilled person, given the disclosure of the present specification, would be enabled to design interfaces of this sort not only for the Content Rights Holders, but also for the Original Content Creators, or for the Curated Content Creators.

[0112] In the foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the embodiments can be practiced without these specific details. Structures and devices are shown in block diagram form for reasons of simplicity, in order to avoid obscurity. For example, the specification is described in one embodiment below with reference to interfaces and particular hardware. However, the description applies to any type of computing device that can receive data and commands, and any peripheral devices providing services. Reference to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Some portions of the detailed descriptions that follow are presented in terms of algorithms, flow charts, and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to be a self consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared and otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers or the like. It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as "processing" or "computing" or "calculating" or "determining" or "displaying" or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electrical and magnetical) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices. The specification also relates to devices for performing the operations herein. These devices may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general-purpose computer or a mobile device processor selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in said computer or mobile device processor. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type of cloud storage system, and any storage media such as a disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magnetic disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, flash memories including USB keys with non-volatile memory or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, each coupled to a computer system bus. Some embodiments can take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment containing both hardware and software elements. A preferred embodiment is implemented in software, which includes but is not limited to firmware, resident software, microcode, etc. Furthermore, some embodiments can take the form of a computer program product accessible from a computer-usable or computer-readable medium providing program code for use by or in connection with a computer or any instruction execution system. For the purposes of this description, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium can be any apparatus that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. A data processing system suitable for storing and / or executing program code will include at least one processor coupled directly or indirectly to memory storage elements through a system bus. The memory storage elements can include local memory employed during actual execution of the program code, bulk storage, and cache memories which provide temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the number of times code must be retrieved from bulk storage during execution. Input / output interfaces or I / O devices (including but not limited to keyboards, displays, pointing devices, etc.) can be coupled to the system either directly or through intervening I / O controllers. Network adapters may also be coupled to the system to enable the data processing system to become coupled to other data processing systems or remote printers or storage devices through intervening private or public networks. Modems, cable modem and Ethernet cards are just a few of the currently available types of network adapters. Finally, the algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general -purpose systems may be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these systems will appear from the description below.

[0113] In addition, the specification is not described with reference to any particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the various embodiments as described herein.

Claims

1. 34Claims1. A system for Digital Rights Management comprising a digital environment, said digital environment comprising:• a Content Identifier Storage System• a Digital Asset Storage System• a Content Rights Holder’s Policy Storage System• a Visual Input / Output Interface• a Digital Communication Interface (581, 510, 530)• an Infringement Detection Unit whereby• a digital asset belonging to a plurality of digital assets, a content identifier belonging to a plurality of content identifiers, and a digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) belonging to a plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs), are associated to one another;• the plurality of digital assets are stored on the Digital Asset Storage System, the plurality of content identifiers are stored on the Content Identifier Storage System, and the plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs) are stored on the Content Rights Holder’s Policy Storage System;• the Visual Input / Output Interface is adapted to input settings for the plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs), and• the Infringement Detection Unit is adapted to detect an infringement of copyright taking place in the digital environment; and whereby the digital environment• involves, through the Digital Communication Interface (581, 510, 530), a notification of an infringement of copyright taking place in the digital environment, and / or• involves an enforcement of a comprehensive Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance in relation to one digital asset or more digital assets of a plurality of digital assets supported by the digital environment, whereby said enforcement takes place as a function of at least one of the digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs) and on the basis of the Infringement Detection Unit, said comprehensive Content Rights Holder’s Policy being associated with at least one Avatar Identifier, said Avatar Identifier being an identifier adapted to identify the ownership of one or more digital assets, thereby enabling a policy of allowance or forbiddance at the granularity level of the one digital asset or more35 digital assets, in relation to a predetermined outlet.

2. A device for Digital Rights Management, adapted for an Original Content Creator, comprising:• means for uploading a digital asset to a digital environment• means for requesting a content identifier• means for receiving, through a Digital Communication Interface (581, 510, 530), a notification of infringement of the rights belonging to said digital asset• means for setting or modifying a digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) on a platform.

3. The device of Claim 2, further comprising means for receiving a content identifier.

4. The device of Claim 3, wherein said content identifier is an ISRC code.

5. The device of Claim 2, wherein said digital asset is stored on a blockchain.

6. The device of Claim 2, wherein rights on said digital asset are represented by a Non-Fungible Token, giving buyers or traders a proof of legitimacy.

7. The device of Claim 2, wherein the digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) is changed according to the outcome of an auction procedure or a bidding procedure, amongst competing Curated Content Creators or competing content rights holders.

8. The device of Claim 7, wherein said auction procedure or bidding procedure takes place on a marketplace for Non-Fungible Tokens, in the shape of currencies, cryptocurrencies, or advertisement revenues shares.

9. A device for Digital Rights Management, adapted for a Curated Content Creator, comprising:• means for uploading a digital asset to a digital environment• means for receiving, through a Digital Communication Interface (581, 510, 530), a notification of infringement of the rights belonging to somebody else’s digital asset• means for either bidding for permission to use, so that digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) is modified on a platform, or seeking alternative content.

10. The device of Claim 9, whereby rights on said somebody else’s digital asset are represented by a Non-Fungible Token, giving buyers or traders a proof of legitimacy.

11. The device of Claim 9, whereby the digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) is changed according to the outcome of an auction procedure or a bidding procedure, amongst competing Original Content Creators or competing content rights holders.

12. The device of Claim 11, whereby said auction procedure or bidding procedure takes place on a marketplace for Non-Fungible Tokens, in the shape of currencies, cryptocurrencies, or advertisement revenues shares.

13. The device of Claim 9, further comprising means for requesting a content identifier.

14. The device of Claim 9, further comprising means for receiving a content identifier.

15. A device for Digital Rights Management, adapted for a Content Rights Holder, comprising:• a Visual Input / Output Interface for interacting with a Core Application carrying Platform, so as to set or modify a digital policy certificate of a plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs) on said Core Application carrying Platform;• means for receiving, through a Digital Communication Interface (581, 510, 530), a notification of infringement of the rights; whereby said Content Rights Holder is enabled by said Core Application to enforce a single Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance in relation to one digital asset or more digital assets of a plurality of digital assets supported by a first digital environment, as a function of at least one of said digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs) and on the basis of said Digital Communication Interface (581, 510, 530).

16. The device of Claim 15, whereby said Visual Input / Output Interface is also for interacting with said first digital environment.

17. The device of Claim 15, further comprising means for uploading a digital asset to said first digital environment.

18. The device of Claim 15, further comprising means for creating an Avatar Identifier.

19. The device of Claim 15, further comprising means for connecting an Outlet Identifier to an Avatar Identifier.

20. The device of Claim 15, whereby a digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) is changed according to the outcome of an auction or a bidding procedure.

21. The device of Claim 15, whereby said Visual Input / Output Interface is also for interacting with a second digital environment, said second digital environment comprising a second Content ID system, whereby said device, via said Core Application carrying Platform, enables a Content Rights Holder to enforce a single Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance in relation to digital assets supported by both said first digital environment and said second digital environment.

22. The device of Claim 15 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance is different for respectively said first digital environment and said second digital environment.

23. The device of Claim 15 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said single Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance in relation to digital assets supported by said first digital environment, is associated with at least one Avatar Identifier, said Avatar Identifier being an identifier adapted to identify one or more digital assets, thus enabling a policy of allowance or forbiddance at the granularity level of said one or more digital assets.

24. The device of Claim 15 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said Content Rights Holder’sPolicy of allowance or forbiddance is associated with a contract, forbiddance taking place when the conditions of the contract are not met.

25. The device of Claim 15 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance is associated with a contract, said contract being associated with a remuneration policy, said remuneration policy being included in said Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance.

26. The device of Claim 15 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance foresees allowance irrespectively of any contract, thus enabling white listing.

27. The device of Claim 15 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance foresees allowance irrespectively of any contract, for a first limited interval of time.

28. The device of Claim 15 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance is established by the Content Rights Holder for one or more jurisdictions or geographical areas.

29. The device of Claim 15 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said first Content ID system and second Content ID system relies on the same set of Content IDs.

30. The device of Claim 15 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said first Content ID system and second Content ID system relies on different sets of Content IDs.

31. The device of Claim 15 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said first content ID system and third Content ID system relies on different sets of Content IDs.

32. A computer programme product comprising code means corresponding to the means of the device of Claims 2 to 8, or Claim 9 to 14, or Claim 15 to 31, said code means being inter alia downloadable as a desktop application, as a mobile application, or as an add-on browser extension.

33. A Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management, said Core Application Carrying Platform comprising. o a Native Content Identifier Storage System (552), and o a Content Rights Holder’s Policy Storage System (555), whereby■ a digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) belonging to a plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs), and■ a content identifier belonging to a native plurality of content identifiers are associated to one another, said plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs) being stored on said Content Rights Holder’s Policy Storage System (555), and said native plurality of content identifiers being stored on said Native Content Identifier38Storage System (552); whereby• said Core Application provides o a Visual Input / Output Interface (...) to at least one of a plurality of Content Rights Holders so as to input settings for said plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs), and o a Digital Communication Interface (581, 510, 530) towards a first digital environment (500) so as to detect through said Digital Communication Interface (581, 510, 530) an infringement of rights taking place at said first digital environment, said Core Application Carrying Platform (500) enabling a Content Rights Holder to enforce a single Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance in relation to one digital asset or more digital assets of a plurality of digital assets supported by said first digital environment, as a function of at least one of said digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs) and on the basis of said Digital Communication Interface (581, 510, 530).

34. A Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management according to Claim33, whereby said Core Application carrying Platform enables a Content Rights Holder to enforce a comprehensive Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance in relation to digital assets supported by both said first digital environment and a second digital environment.

35. A Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management according to Claim34, whereby said Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance is different for respectively said first digital environment and said second digital environment.

36. A Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management according to Claim 33 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said comprehensive Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance in relation to digital assets supported by said first digital environment is associated with at least one Avatar Identifier, said Avatar Identifier being an identifier adapted to identify one or more digital assets, thereby enabling a policy of allowance or forbiddance at the granularity level of said one digital asset or more digital assets.

37. A Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management according to Claim 33 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance is associated with a contract, forbiddance taking place when the conditions of the contract are not met.

38. A Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management according to Claim 33 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance is associated with a contract, said contract being associated with a remuneration policy,39 said remuneration policy being included in said Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance.

39. A Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management according to Claim 33 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance foresees allowance irrespectively of any contract, thereby enabling whitelisting.

40. A Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management according to Claim 33 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance foresees allowance irrespectively of any contract, for a first limited interval of time.

41. A Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management according to Claim 33 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance is established by the Content Rights Holder for one or more jurisdictions or geographical areas, and digitally represented accordingly.

42. A Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management according to Claim 33 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said first Content Identifier Storage System and said Native Content Identifier Storage System rely on the same set of content identifiers.

43. A Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management according to Claim 33 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said first Content Identifier Storage System and said Native Content Identifier Storage System rely on a different set of content identifiers.

44. A Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management according to Claim 33 and claims dependent thereupon, and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said first Content Identifier Storage System and second Content Identifier Storage System rely on different sets of content identifiers.

45. A Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management according to Claim 33 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said Core Application Platform serves a plurality of Content Rights Holders.

46. A Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management according to Claim 33 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said first digital environment is a social media platform.

47. A Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management according to Claim 33 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby said social media platform is a media sharing social media platform.

48. A Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management according to Claim 33 and claims dependent thereupon, whereby media is audio, or video, or both.

49. A computer programme product for a Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management, whereby said computer programme product comprises code means adapted to40 implement the Core Application Carrying Platform (500) according to Claims 33 to 48.

50. A computer programme product for a Core Application Carrying Platform (500) for Digital Rights Management, said Core Application Carrying Platform comprising o a Native Content Identifier Storage System (552), and o a Content Rights Holder’s Policy Storage System (555), whereby■ a digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) belonging to a plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs), and■ a content identifier belonging to a native plurality of content identifiers are associated to one another, said first plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs) being stored on said Content Rights Holder’s Policy Storage System (555), and said native plurality of content identifiers being stored on said Native Content Identifier Storage System (552); whereby• said computer programme product for a Core Application Carrying Platform (500) has code means for providing o a Visual Input / Output Interface (...) to at least one of a plurality of Content Rights Holders so as to input settings for said plurality of digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs), and o a Digital Communication Interface (581, 510, 530) (...) towards a first digital environment (500) so as to detect through said Digital Communication Interface (581, 510, 530) an infringement of rights taking place at said first digital environment, said said computer programme product for a Core Application Carrying Platform (500) enabling a Content Rights Holder to enforce a single Content Rights Holder’s Policy of allowance or forbiddance in relation to one digital asset or more digital assets of a plurality of digital assets supported by said first digital environment, as a function of at least one of said digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs) and on the basis of said Digital Communication Interface (581, 510, 530).

51. A system for Digital Rights Management comprising at least• a first digital environment (100, 500), said first digital environment comprising o a first Content Identifier Storage System (107, 507), and o a first Digital Asset Storage System (108, 508), whereby■ a digital asset belonging to a first plurality of digital assets, and41■ a content identifier belonging to a first plurality of content identifiers are associated to one another, said first plurality of digital assets being stored on said first Digital Asset Storage System (108, 508), and said first plurality of content identifiers being stored on said first Content Identifier Storage System (107, 507); characterized by• a Core Application Carrying Platform (500) according to Claims 33 to 48.

52. A System for Digital Rights Management according to Claim 51, further comprising• a second digital environment, said second digital environment comprising o a second Content Identifier Storage System, and o a second Digital Asset Storage System.

53. A method for harvesting content identifiers related to a Content Rights Holder and constructing a respective digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs), the method comprising the steps of:• connecting to a first digital environment using a secure communication protocol;• identifying digital assets associated with the Content Rights Holder within said first digital environment, based on metadata or otherwise;• harvesting the content identifier corresponding to each identified digital asset;• storing the harvested content identifiers for further processing;• associating each harvested content identifier to a corresponding Permission Information, so as to constitute a digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC);• storing said digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) on the Content Rights Holder’s Policy Storage System (555).

54. A method for harvesting content identifiers related to a Content Rights Holder and constructing a respective digital Permission Policy Core Certificates (PPCCs), the method comprising the steps of:• connecting to a first digital environment using a secure communication protocol;• uploading a digital asset to said first digital environment;• harvesting a first content identifier associated with said digital asset by the first digital environment;• storing the harvested content identifier for further processing;• associating said harvested content identifier to a corresponding Permission Information, so as to constitute a digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC);• storing said digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) on the Content Rights Holder’s Policy Storage System (555).4255. The method of Claim 53 or 54, whereby the Permission Information of said digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) is set by default.

56. The method of Claim 53 or 54, whereby the Permission Information of said digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) is set through a Visual Input / Output Interface.

57. The method of Claim 53 or 54, whereby the harvested content identifier is taken as a NativeContent Identifier.

58. The method of Claim 53 or 54, whereby the harvested content identifier related to said first digital environment is associated with a Native Content Identifier corresponding to the harvested content identifier of said first digital environment, and a previously harvested content identifier related to a second digital environment, so as to constitute a digital Multi Extended - Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC).

59. The method of Claim 53 or 54, whereby said digital Permission Policy Core Certificate (PPCC) further comprises at least one of an Avatar Identifier and an Outlet Identifier.

60. Computer programme product comprising code means corresponding to the method steps of Claims 53 to 59.

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