Microsoft files patent preventing ad-skipping in downloaded videos

Some downloadable media are free, but that just means we don’t pay for it. Some of those media – videos in particular – are only free because they come with ads, and if no one watches those ads, the system becomes ineffective.

This reasoning might explain why Microsoft has filed for this patent: a system that “enforces advertisement playback for downloaded media.” More in the full article.

Some downloadable media are free, but that just means we don’t pay for it. Now, most of those media – videos in particular – are only free because they come with ads, and if no one watches those ads, the system becomes ineffective. This reasoning might explain why Microsoft has filed for this patent: a system that “enforces advertisement playback for downloaded media.”

According to the patent filing, one way the system could work is that each ad that comes with the downloadable video will contain a Digital Rights Management (DRM) license. This license will only be given once the ad is played, and then the downloaded video can be viewed.

The system has a lot of other ways of enforcing advertisement playback, but you get the general idea. You can read the patent for yourself by following the link below.