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The MPEG-21 standard, from the Moving Picture Experts Group aims at defining an open framework for multimedia applications. ISO 21000.
Specifically, MPEG-21 defines a "Rights Expression Language" standard as means of sharing digital rights/permissions/restrictions for digital content from content creator to content consumer. As an XML-based standard, MPEG-21 is designed to communicate machine-readable license information and do so in an "ubiquitous, unambiguous and secure" manner.
Among the aspirations for this standard that the industry hopes will put an end to illicit file sharing is that it will constitute: "A normative open framework for multimedia delivery and consumption for use by all the players in the delivery and consumption chain. This open framework will provide content creators, producers, distributors and service providers with equal opportunities in the MPEG-21 enabled open market."
MPEG-21 is based on two essential concepts: the definition of a fundamental unit of distribution and transaction, which is the Digital Item, and the concept of users interacting with them. Digital Items can be considered the kernel of the Multimedia Framework and the users can be considered as who interacts with them inside the Multimedia Framework. At its most basic level, MPEG-21 provides a framework in which one user interacts with another one, and the object of that interaction is a Digital Item. Due to that, we could say that the main objective of the MPEG-21 is to define the technology needed to support users to exchange, access, consume, trade or manipulate Digital Items in an efficient and transparent way.
The ability for a consumer to not have to pay multiple times for the same content in different formats is absent.
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