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Can websites enable DRM on my browser?

  • 5 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 3 views
  • Last reply by MartyJames

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I always have DRM turned off as I find the concept of DRM abhorrent and unethical.

I just visited a site (music.apple.com) which gave me an alert telling me DRM was turned off and asking if I wanted to enable DRM. I found this concerning, as websites should not be able to change my settings. Curious, I clicked the button, and lo and behold, the site was somehow able to turn DRM on!

How could this happen?

I always have DRM turned off as I find the concept of DRM abhorrent and unethical. I just visited a site (music.apple.com) which gave me an alert telling me DRM was turned off and asking if I wanted to enable DRM. I found this concerning, as websites should not be able to change my settings. Curious, I clicked the button, and lo and behold, the site was somehow able to turn DRM on! How could this happen?

Chosen solution

MartyJames said

I just visited a site (music.apple.com) which gave me an alert telling me DRM was turned off and asking if I wanted to enable DRM. I found this concerning, as websites should not be able to change my settings. Curious, I clicked the button, and lo and behold, the site was somehow able to turn DRM on!

Did it look like this Firefox infobar:

That is generated by Firefox based on what it detected in the page. If you're not sure whether an infobar is part of Firefox's toolbar area or part of the page, I suggest the extreme zoom test: hold down the Ctrl and + buttons until the page reaches maximum zoom. If there are no fluctuations in the infobar, it's most likely a real Firefox bar. To reset zoom, hold down Ctrl and tap the 0 key (that's a zero).

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All Replies (5)

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hello MartyJames,

follow the link resolve your problem:

[https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enable-drm#:~:text=You%20may%20encou...]

I hope resolve your problem then reply back to me.

thank you!

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Chosen Solution

MartyJames said

I just visited a site (music.apple.com) which gave me an alert telling me DRM was turned off and asking if I wanted to enable DRM. I found this concerning, as websites should not be able to change my settings. Curious, I clicked the button, and lo and behold, the site was somehow able to turn DRM on!

Did it look like this Firefox infobar:

That is generated by Firefox based on what it detected in the page. If you're not sure whether an infobar is part of Firefox's toolbar area or part of the page, I suggest the extreme zoom test: hold down the Ctrl and + buttons until the page reaches maximum zoom. If there are no fluctuations in the infobar, it's most likely a real Firefox bar. To reset zoom, hold down Ctrl and tap the 0 key (that's a zero).

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Mr Scher, you are a hero! Thank you so much for the excellent answer!

As you said, it was a browser message, not page content.

I don't think Mozilla should be putting browser messages there. Not only is it confusing about where the message is coming from - it's a security risk. How can people know whether a message is genuinely from their browser or a fraudulent message generated by the site? (Other than using your zoom trick.)

Modified by MartyJames

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Hi MartyJames, this is an old style of message used for the popup blocker and the redirect block. Perhaps it should be moved to a "doorhanger" notification, which is the more modern style used, for example, for permission requests. Some people have reported seeing sites faking those kinds of overlays, as well as Firefox-style popups, so nothing that overlays the page area is perfect, either. Hmm.

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Thanks Mr Scher.

I don't know if anyone reads the feedback, but the feedback I sent them suggested three options:

1. Put the message at the top of the screen instead of over the page area.

2. If you want to place them over the page area, how about darkening or flashing everything outside the message (including the toolbars) so we know it's a legitimate browser message?

3. Or, temporarily enlarge the message so it overlaps the bottom of the toolbars, like how the new address bar now enlarges temporarily.